The Great Easter Egg Hunt
by genki-escapist
Summary: An Easter Egg Hunt in North Window Castle! Who wins and who gets trampled in the dust? Hix gets a backbone? Luc, it's just holding hands and you're doing it all wrong! Teehee! The conclusion to the greatest Easter Egg Hunt in the Suikoverse!
1. Chapter 1: Chocolate Eggs

**Author's Notes: **Somebody once said it would be cool if I made seasonal fanfics S2 based of course. And well, I absolutely agree. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to write one for Valentine's Day!!! The horror!!! But now, Easter is almost here. And like what I did with my Christmas fic, I will cram this one… It's Friday now, will I make it? ^_~ Enjoy the shoujo goodness while you can!!! And note again. I CRAMMED this fic. I'll probably rehash it for next Easter but it will have to do for now. Okie?

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 1: Chocolate Eggs**

            "I'm having strawberry shake, onee-chan!!!" Millie chirped, tugging at Tengaar's sleeve. "Bonaparte says he wants to have some." She rubbed her groundhog's belly.

"Very well then. An iced coffee for me, and a strawberry milkshake for Millie-chan and…" Tengaar raised an eyebrow at Wakaba. "What about you, Wakaba-chan?"

            "Freshly squeezed orange juice of course," Wakaba said.

            "Would that be all?" The waitress, Meilin, asked.

            "Yes, thank you." Tengaar said.

            "No wait!!" Millie cried. "And a plate of sugar cookies!!"

            "Millie-chan!" Tengaar scolded. "Lunch is in about an hour, you can't go eating sweets now."

            "Why not??" Millie frowned. "I'm hungry now."

            "EEP!!!" Bonaparte squeaked.

            "It's not healthy!!" Wakaba shook her head. "Three square, balanced meals a day is the way to a healthy body and a strong mind!!"

            "But look," Millie pointed at flyer on the table. "Their sugar cookies are shaped like Easter eggs and iced for the occasion!!" She turned to her friends with wide brown eyes. "Don't you want any??"

            "Fine, you have them." Tengaar gave a defeated sigh. She waved a hand at the waitress who left. "Just make sure you finish your lunch later."

            Millie clapped her hands happily. "We're having iced cookies, Bonaparte!!!"

Wakaba clucked her tongue. "Someday you'll be fat and flabby, Millie-chan and you'll wonder why. Don't tell me I didn't warn you."

            Millie turned beet-red. "H-hey!!"

            "Anyway, what's taking Meg-chan so long?" Tengaar looked at the clock on the wall of the tavern. "She was supposed to be here a while ago."

            "I don't know…" Millie played with Bonaparte's fluffy tail. "She said there was something she had to get and she'll just follow us here."

            "Hmp, she's always late…" Wakaba crossed her arms over her chest. "I wonder what's her reason this time."

            "Actually, I think she's up to something…" Tengaar lazily tugged at her red braids. "I wonder what it is this time…"`

            The door of the tavern swung open and banged against the wall. Several patrons threw disapproving glances at Meg, who then entered, but she took no notice.

            "Yoo-hoo!!" Meg hooted as she skipped to her friends' table, her light brown ponytail flapping behind her as she ran. Gadget was whirring behind her.

            "EEK!!" Meilin cried when Meg nearly ran over her.

            "Oops!!" Meg skidded to a stop.

            "DO NOT GET ME WET." Gadget cried.

Tengaar yelped and luckily, Wakaba caught Meilin's tray before its contents could spill unto Tengaar.

            "Geez Meg, careful…" Tengaar grumbled.

The shaken waitress placed an orange juice in front of Wakaba, an iced coffee in front of Tengaar and a strawberry milkshake in front of Millie.

            "Oh, I'd like a lemonade!!" Meg told Meilin. "Thank you!!"

            "Yes…" the waitress gave her a weak smile before turning to leave.

            "Hi girlfriends!!" Meg waved at them.

            "Hiya Meg-chan!! Hi Gadget!!" Millie, her best friend, smiled. She flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder and leaned forward. "Very excited, huh? What's up?"

            "THIS!!" Meg brandished a rolled-up piece of parchment. She was bouncing on her feet, grinning from ear to ear, her hazel eyes glittering.

            "Eh…" Millie looked at it dubiously.

            "What's that?" Wakaba asked curiously.

            "AN UPCOMING EVENT." Gadget explained.

            "It's… a poster." Meg paused for dramatic effect. She wiggled her eyebrows. "For the you-know-what." It didn't seem to go over too well however…

            "Uh, I see…" Tengaar rolled her eyes. "Whatever that you-know-what is, it can't be that important because I don't even know what it is."

            "How can you not know Tengaar-neechan??!" Meg shrieked. "Come on, make a guess!!!"

            "Is it a chocolate maker's ad?" Millie asked hopefully. Bonaparte made a lot of squeaking noises.

            "NO." Gadget interjected.

            "No, Millie-chan, not even close." Meg shook her head. "Try again!!"

            "Geez, Meg-chan, just go ahead and tell us." Wakaba grumbled.

            "Don't you guys want to guess?" Meg asked.

            Millie took a gulp of her shake then waved her hand at Meg. "I do!!"

            "EEP!!!" Bonaparte squeaked in approval.

            "Well I don't." Tengaar snatched the poster from Meg and unrolled it. "Hmm… what's this?"

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

_First Prize: a feast for four at Hai Yo's and 16000 potch_

_Second Prize: pink bunny plushies and 4000 potch_

_Third Prize: chocolate eggs and 1000 potch_

_Form a team of four people and register now!!_

_Go to Leona for registration and more details._

            Meg snatched it back from Tengaar. "It's the poster for Sunday's event. An egg hunt!!!"

            "Oh?" Tengaar regarded her lazily. "How profound…"

            "I thought it would be something worthwhile…" Wakaba looked disinterested and paid attention to her orange juice instead.

            "Cool!!!" Millie cried excitedly. "You mean we search for pretty colored eggs and get prizes??!"

            "Yup!!" Meg nodded excitedly.

            "It's a kiddie thing. Sounds boring…" Tengaar muttered.

            "No way!!" Wakaba slapped her hand on the table. "It's not boring!!!"

            Tengaar fixed a puzzled look at her. "I thought you just implied that it was nothing worthwhile?"

            "I did, but I realized it isn't!!" Wakaba insisted. "Meg-chan!! You say this has prizes, right??!"

            "Yeah…" Meg nodded. "Here's the list—"

            "No, it's okay." Wakaba didn't even look at the prizes. "It's a contest!!! And we're gonna win, I swear it!!!" She pumped a fist in the air.

            "W-we??" Tengaar stammered nervously.

            "Of course 'we'!!!" Wakaba cried. She slammed her hands on the table. "We're a team of four, we'll go out there and show them!!!"

            "Yes…" Meg purred, her eyes sparkling. "And we get prizes!!! Whee, sixteen thousand potch!!!"

            "OH YOU GREEDY GIRL…" Gadget said reproachfully.

            "Shut up, Gadget." Meg said.

            "Chocolate eggs!!!" Millie cried excitedly. "You want some too, don't you, Bonaparte?"

            "Eh, Millie-chan…" Meg turned to her. "I think we should be aiming for more than that…"

            "Eh??" Millie pouted. "But I love chocolate!!!"

            "Yeah, but that's the _third _prize." Meg said, pointing at the poster. "We want the _first _prize."

            "I don't want potch and a feast," Millie shrugged. "I just want some chocolate—"

            "How can you think like that??!" Wakaba demanded indignantly.

            "Eh…" Millie felt a bead of sweat slide down her forehead. "I'd rather have chocolate than a feast…"

            "The prize isn't the point!!!" Wakaba cried disapprovingly.

            "What is??" Meg asked puzzledly, her dreams of sixteen thousand potch chased away by the seriousness in Wakaba's voice.

            "NOT EVERYONE THINKS THE WAY YOU DO, MEG." Gadget said.

            "Gadget…" Meg gave it the evil eye and it immediately went into protective barrel mode.

            "The honor!!!" Wakaba said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

            "Er… honor??" Millie repeated.

            "Honor??" Meg sniffed and turned back to the poster.

            "What do you mean, 'honor'?" Tengaar asked.

            "You see, by winning first prize, we prove to everyone else that we are the best egg hunters in the whole of the Alliance Army!!!" Wakaba explained excitedly.

            Tengaar shrugged. "What honor is it there, it's only an egg-hunt—"

            "ONLY??!" Wakaba's nostrils flared and her brown eyes bulged dangerously. "There is honor in everything!! Whether in a big event or a small matter, there is honor!!! We must do the best we can in anything we do, we must try because it is in our deeds our worth lies!!!" She made a grand gesture with her hands. "If we can't prove we can master an egg-hunt, how will anyone believe we can master anything else, huh?? Tell me onee-chan!!!"

            Tengaar's forehead crinkled in thought. "That somehow makes sense…"

            "Yes…" Millie tilted her head, tapping at her temple. "In a twisted sort of way, that is…"

            "So, we are in, right??" Wakaba winked at them. She held out her hand.

            "Of course, for sixteen thousand potch!!!" Meg placed her hand over Wakaba's. "We'll win the Easter Egg Hunt!!!"

            "Well…" Millie put her hand over theirs tentatively. "I really wanted the chocolate eggs…"

            "Millie-chan you can buy them with the sixteen thousand potch." Meg assured her.

            "Oh, yeah, I suppose I can!!" Millie shook their hands firmly. "So I'm definitely in!!!"

            Wakaba, Meg and Millie all looked expectantly at Tengaar who was calmly sipping her iced coffee.

            "What??" Tengaar blinked at them.

            "This is your cue to say you're in the team." Meg told her.

            "W-well…" Tengaar's aquamarine eyes shifted uneasily. "I'm not sure if I can…"

            "WHAT??!" Wakaba cried.

            "Why not?" Millie asked, sticking out her lower lip.

            "Well…" Tengaar began. "I mean I will be in a team with Hix you know…"

            "Hey, the Egg Hunt is supposed to be for friends!!" Meg placed her hands on her hips and pouted at Tengaar.

            "Who says Easter can't be for sweethearts??!" Tengaar asked, starry-eyed. The three other girls narrowed their eyes exasperatedly.

            "But we're a team," Wakaba reminded her. "Bah, sweethearts are ALWAYS getting in the way of teams!!!"

            "Besides Wakaba-chan, you yourself said that we should prove our worth and you know Hix has a lot to prove still." Tengaar reasoned.

            "Fine then, you'll be in a team with him—if he hasn't found teammates yet." Meg said.

            "He wouldn't!!" Tengaar uttered, shocked. "He knows we're a team!!"

            "Hmm, we'll see…" Meg said in a singsong voice. "Oh is that my lemonade?" Meg asked the waitress Meilin who came holding a glass of lemonade.

Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the glass and downed it in several gulps. "Meh, just tell Leona-san we'll pay her when we win in the egg hunt, okay?? Ja ne!!" She kicked at Gadget. "Wake up!!!" Then she skipped out of the tavern.

"Sorry, about that, we'll come back with our payment next time." Tengaar smiled apologetically at the waitress then ran after Meg.

"Umm… umm…" Millie looked through her purse for some change. "I think I left my money in our room—"

Wakaba pulled her by the wrist. "C'mon, we'll just come back next time, okay, Meilin-san? Ja!!! Hurry up, Millie!!!" Wakaba said as she dragged the other girl.

"Yes, yes, wait!!!" Millie wailed. "Bonaparte!!!"

"EEP!!" Her pet scampered towards her and latched itself unto her arm.

**Author's Notes again: **Pretty girls unite!! XD


	2. Chapter 2: The Challenge

**Author's Notes: **Hmm, I know you want to see them Pretty Boys now, so here they are!!! ^_~

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 2: The Challenge**

            "Hmp, he finally arrived." Luc smirked when he saw Futch making his way across the lawn.

"Hey guys," Futch waved. He jogged towards his friends who were sitting under a shady tree. "I finally got it!!! Look, look!!!" He waved a piece of paper in front of Hix who was busy polishing the blade of his sword.

"H-hey!!" Hix swatted Futch's hand. "I'm busy—"

"It doesn't matter how shiny it looks, all that matters is that it's sharp and you can wield it skillfully!!!" Sasuke told Hix, snatching the rag off Hix's hands and throwing it behind him.

"Sasuke-kun!!" Hix cried. He stood up and went to retrieve the rag.

"So, what is it that excites you?" Luc asked Futch, leaning against the tree trunk and looking at Futch with a bored expression on his face.

"Yeah, what's that?" Sasuke eyed the paper curiously, rubbing his nose.

"You know that Easter Egg Hunt idea that Viktor-san proposed?" Futch grinned.

"You don't say," Luc snorted. "Did Kuma-san actually manage to get anything done about it?"

"Well, with Leona-san's help… Egg Hunt this Sunday, with good prizes too!!!" Futch showed them the poster.

"What's this I hear about an Egg Hunt?" Hix asked. He plopped down on the grass again.

"There's going to be an Easter Egg Hunt!!!" Sasuke said excitedly, studying the poster.

"That's right, all four of us can be in one team and we could actually win sixteen thousand potch and all the food we can eat at Hai Yo's if we can find the most eggs!!!" Futch announced.

"It's really no big deal…" Luc muttered.

"Yeah…" Hix looked at the poster without much interest.

"Come on, Nii-chan," Futch leaned forward him conspiratorially. "Four thousand potch for each of us may not seem much, but it would help. Think about it. You can put it towards buying a ring for Tengaar-neechan, right?"

Hix's ears perked up at this. "Hmm…"

"I mean, you can't ask her to marry you without a ring, right? So, you need to start saving for one." Futch said in his most convincing tone.

Luc narrowed his eyes at them. "You guys are not actually serious about this, are you?"

Futch wiggled his eyebrows at Luc, his brown eyes twinkling. "What do you think?"

Hix shrugged. "Well, if it's for Tengaar…"

Sasuke rubbed his stomach. "I'm just doing it for the good food you know."

"Oh no…" Luc groaned. He crossed his arms defiantly. "I will take no part in this… child's game."

"Arr, you're never any fun." Sasuke complained.

"Don't worry, he'll change his mind." Futch said.

"Like hell I will." Luc sniffed.

"Hey guys!!!" A clear voice called across the lawn. The young men turned to see Meg running towards them, waving, Gadget wheeling itself behind her.

"TARGETS SIGHTED." Gadget said.

"Hello Meg." Futch waved back at her.

Meg looked over her shoulder. "See, Nee-chan, I told you they were out here."

Tengaar followed, holding her long skirt in one hand to prevent herself from tripping on it. "Hix!!" She called, waving at her boyfriend.

Hix stood up to meet her. Luc rolled his eyes. "Well, well, well… what have we here, invasion of the girlettes?"

"Hurry up!!" Wakaba told Millie, whom she was dragging behind her. The other girl tried her best to keep up with her.

"Wakaba, slow down just a little!!!" Millie pleaded. "Bonaparte is getting tired!!!"

"Why were you looking for us?" Sasuke asked bluntly.

"Eww, no way!!!" Wakaba wrinkled her nose. "I wasn't looking for you!!!" Sasuke stuck out his tongue at her.

"Actually, we were looking for Nii-chan, " Meg motioned to Hix who was standing beside Tengaar. The two of them were busy with the so-called 'sweet nothings'. "But anyway, I'm glad we found you guys." She smiled winningly at Futch.

"Why were you looking for Nii-chan?" Futch bantered. He smiled back at her brightly.

"ABOUT THIS SUNDAY." Gadget put in.

Meg gave Gadget a kick to silence it. "Well…" Meg fingered a parchment she was holding. "Have you by chance heard of the Egg Hunt taking place this Sunday?"

"Of course," Futch showed her the poster he was holding.

Meg laughed. "What a coincidence." She held up the poster she was holding as well. "May I ask, are you guys joining?"

"Of course!!!" Sasuke piped up.

"Not me." Luc said.

"Meaning, Nii-chan is a part of _your _team right?" Meg turned to Tengaar. "Onee-chan, you heard that, didn't you?"

"Heard what?" Tengaar frowned.

"Nii-chan is joining the Easter Egg Hunt," Meg began. "With Futch and Sasuke." She resisted the urge to add, 'I told you so'.

"You are??!" Tengaar turned to Hix, and outraged look on her face.

"Well, yes… why?" Hix asked nervously.

"But why??!" Tengaar wailed.

"I-is there anything wrong with joining an Egg Hunt??" Hix asked.

"No!!" Tengaar cried.

"Well, then why are you so angry?" Hix scratched his head, looking confused.

"B-because…" Tengaar sputtered.

"Because?" Hix prompted.

"Because I thought we can be in a team together!!!" Tengaar whined.

"Well…" Hix looked at Futch who shrugged. "But I already gave my word to them…"

"But we were always together, the two of us!!!" Tengaar crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well… maybe Nii-chan thinks it would be good for you two to do things separately sometimes?" Meg speculated out loud.

"HIX??!" Tengaar eyes widened in shock.

"W-well…" Hix stuttered.

"I think that should be good sometimes," Futch said, in an effort to help.

"Yeah," Luc smirked. "So you don't get tired of each other."

"UH OH." Gadget said. "DANGER, DANGER…"

"I'm sure that's not what Nii-chan means!!" Millie cried, hugging Bonaparte tightly. "What do you think, Bonaparte?"

"Luc!!!" Futch, Meg, Sasuke and Wakaba all gave shot him a warning look.

"You're tired of me??!" Tengaar shrieked.

"N-no…" Hix shook his head frantically.

"So I see, fine then!!!" Tengaar cried. She turned her back on Hix.

"Don't worry, Nee-chan," Wakaba said in an appeasing tone. She linked her arm with Tengaar's and held out her other arm in a gesture of victory. "We'll show them!! You can get back by winning, right?"

"Hmp, right!!!" Tengaar nodded, gritting her teeth.

"How can you win?" Sasuke snorted. "Four girls don't stand a chance against four guys!!!"

Wakaba's back and shoulders tensed suddenly. "… WHAAT???" She turned to Sasuke, eyes flashing dangerously.

"I said, girls can never win against guys." Sasuke stood up and returned her challenging stare.

"Take that back!!!" Millie cried, ready to throw a hissy fit.

"Never." Sasuke said, stressing the word. Luc smirked, looking amused.

"Oh, you'll regret that, little ninja boy." Meg swore.

"Hey, Sasuke, stop that." Futch scolded.

"No way." Sasuke said.

"Ooh, I will SO show you, Sasuke-CHAN, you'll see!!!" Wakaba cried.

"I am NOT a CHAN!!!" Sasuke shouted.

"OH YES YOU ARE!!!" Wakaba yelled. "AND I WILL SHOW YOU, YOU'LL EAT OUR DUST!!!"

"YOU WISH!!!" Sasuke retorted.

"It's a challenge," Tengaar slapped Hix's cheek.

"What was that for??" Hix looked bewildered, holding his cheek.

"It's a challenge. I don't have a glove so my hand will have to suffice." Tengaar explained.

"You'll take back your words, Sasuke-kun!!" Millie promised.

"Not if I have anything to do about it," Luc smiled arrogantly.

"Hah!!!" Sasuke put an arm around Luc. "So, you're with us right?"

"Of course," Luc said. "This looks interesting."

"So it's the Pretty Girls against the Scrawny Boys, huh?" Wakaba quipped. Sasuke stuck out a tongue at her.

Millie laughed. "More like Pretty Boys, Wakaba-chan."

"What did you call us??!" Luc asked incredulously, turning an interesting shade of red.

"Why, Luc-kun, you don't think you're pretty?" Millie giggled.

"Hrmph…" Luc looked away.

"I suppose we officially rivals now." Meg mused.

"Yeah…" Futch shrugged.

"It would have been nice, you know, teaming up with you." Meg smiled.

"Yeah, would have been," Futch agreed. "But anyway, no hard feelings?"

"Of course not." Meg took his hand and shook it, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "After all, I can already feel the sixteen thousand potch jingling in my pocket."

"YOU'RE SO GREEDY." Gadget said.

**Author's Notes again: **Kawaii desu ne? XD Pretty girls and pretty boys!!! XD


	3. Chapter 3: The 'Perfect' Team

**Author's Notes: **Well now, on to my other set of favorite characters!!! XD

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 3: The "Perfect" Team**

            "WHEE!!!" Nanami took Riou's hands and spun him in an awkward circle. "Riou-chan!!!"

            "G-geez…" Riou dug his heels on the floor.

            "C'mon now, I formed the perfect team!!!" Nanami placed her arms on her hips and grinned in a satisfied manner. "Aren't you impressed??"

            "Winning isn't that important." Riou shrugged.

            "Yeah, but it will make things a lot more fun!!!" Nanami pointed out.

            "Tell me again," Riou said. "Tell me again why you think having Templton in our team will let us win the egg hunt for sure."

            "Because, Riou, Temply-chan's a cartographer." Nanami declared matter-of-factly.

            "Well, so?" Riou asked.

            "Oh honestly, you don't know anything!!!" Nanami slapped her forehead in a gesture of despair. "Cartographers are good at plotting where things are, mapping out places and all that jazz."

            "Nanami, it's not like it's marked on his maps where the eggs are hidden." Riou said.

            "I know that, dummy." Nanami sniffed. "It doesn't matter, because using his cartographic skills, he will surely find them quickly!!!"

            Riou shrugged. It was pointless to argue with her anyway.

            "But Riou-chan, we still need one more person for our team." Nanami observed.

            "Yeah, there's just three of us." Riou agreed.

            Nanami wrinkled her forehead in concentration. "Oh I know!!!"

            "Huh??" Riou blinked when Nanami pushed him out of their room.

            "Hey, c'mon now don't drag your feet." Nanami complained, pushing him towards the steps.

            "B-but, where are we going??!" Riou asked.

            "Downstairs." Nanami replied.

            "What are we doing there?"

            "We're going to ask her to join our team."

            "W-who??" Riou stuttered.

            "Why, Tomo-chan of course!!!" Nanami said excitedly.

            "T-Tomo-chan??" Riou's eyes widened.

            "Yes, we're going to ask her to join us. Or rather, you will ask her." Nanami chirped.

            Riou felt a bead of sweat slide down his forehead. "I will?"

            "You got that."

            "Oh…"

            Nanami held Riou by the back of his shirt and dragged him down the hallway. "Here we are," she announced then knocked at the door. "Hello?"

            The door swung open and they were greeted by Tsai's smiling face. "Oh, what a pleasant surprise, Nanami-chan, Riou-dono."

            "Hello, Tsai-san!!!" Nanami said.

            "T-tsai-san… hello." Riou said weakly, rubbing his neck where his scarf had rubbed against.

            "Come in, come in," he opened the door wide and motioned for them to enter.

            "Riou-dono, Nanami-sempai." Tomo stood from her chair and bowed her head slightly.

            "Did we disturb anything?" Riou asked worriedly.

            "Oh no, of course not." Tsai assured. "We were just having tea. Tomo-chan, serve them some tea."

            "Yes, Tou-san." Tomo said.

            "Oh, no, no thank you." Nanami shook her head. "Please, don't bother."

            "Y-yes…" Riou held out his hands. "Don't trouble yourselves."

            "No, that can't be." Tomo said. She took two cups from their shelves and put them on the table. "It is not often that the leader and his sister come to visit us, right Tou-san?"

            "Right, Tomo-chan." Tsai lead Riou and Nanami to their chairs. "Please sit down."

            "Would that be with milk?" Tomo asked them.

            "Just sugar please," Nanami said. Riou nodded.

            "Here you go." Tomo placed a cup each in front of Nanami and Riou then sat down.

            Nanami took a sip. "Wow, it's really good!! Isn't it, Riou?"

            "Y-yes, it's good." Riou said. "Thank you very much."

            "Is there any particular reason you came by?" Tsai asked.

            "Oh, that." Nanami nodded. "There's just something Riou-chan wanted to ask Tomo-chan!!!"

            Riou turned red and Tomo's eyes widened. "Really, Nanami-sempai? What is it, Riou-dono?"

            "W-well…" Riou bit his lip. "Umm… there's this, y'see…"

            "There's an Easter Egg Hunt!!!" Nanami supplied helpfully.

            "Y-yeah…" Riou nodded.

            "I heard." Tomo said. "W-what about it?"

            "T-the… team…" Riou stammered.

            "C'mon Riou just say it." Nanami rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

            "Well, we need one more person in our team, so maybe you can join us?" Riou asked.

            "Sure, no problem." Tomo said.

            "Yay!!" Nanami pumped her fist in the air. "And so we are complete!!" She stood up. "We're going to go now and register, okay?"

            "Leaving so soon?" Tomo asked, a bit disappointed.

            "Can I finish my tea?" Riou asked.

            Nanami looked at their cute little faces. _Meh, they'd look so cute together. _Nanami got a squishy feeling inside. "Oh, oh… how about you stay here Riou and I'll go register us!!! Okay?? Seeya!!!" Nanami rushed out of the room without giving them a chance to answer.

            Nanami hopped down a couple of flights of stairs then walked towards the 'registration area'. It was really just a table in the main corridor with a sign saying 'REGISTRATION AREA' hanging over it. Leona was sitting behind the table; Viktor beside her and Nina was there as well for some reason.

            "Hello Nina," Nanami greeted. 

            "Hi Nanami!!" Nina smiled. "Are you here to register?"

            "Yeah," Nanami said. She turned to Leona and Viktor. "Hello Leona-san, Kuma-san, I would like to register."

            "Hey!" Viktor said. "No calling me Kuma-san!!!"

            "But you ARE Kuma-san," Leona chuckled and patted his cheek.

            Viktor sulked and Nanami stuck out a tongue at him. "Anyway, where do I write??"

            "Right here, Nanami-chan." Leona slipped a form towards her.

            "I'm with Riou and Tomo-chan and Templton of course…" Nanami wrote their names down. "A team name?? Hmm… what about… Team Orange? Yeah, that sounds good…"

            "Well, so far, it's the Pretty Girls, the Pretty Boys and Team Orange." Leona placed Nanami's form neatly in a folder with the others.

            "We'll beat every single one of them!!!" Nanami boasted. "We're the perfect team."

            "Not after we register though." Nina said airily.

            "What are you talking about??!" Nanami frowned.

            "Well…" Nina tossed her golden locks. "I happen to have Sir Flik on MY team."

            "Flik-sensei??!" Nanami snorted. "He'd NEVER agree."

            "But he did!!" Nina insisted.

            "Yeah right." Nanami said.

            "Right, Leona-san, Viktor-san?" Nina turned to them, smiling sweetly.

            "That's right." Leona nodded.

            "She got Flik to agree." Viktor said.

            "No way!!!" Nanami shuddered. "Unbelievable. I wonder how you got him to agree…"

* * *

_            "Give me back my bandanna, NOW!!!" Flik bellowed._

_            "Promise me you'll join my team for the egg hunt." Nina ordered._

_            "No way!!" Flik uttered. "Give me that!!!"_

_            "Boo-hoo!!!" Nina burst into tears and wiped at them with Flik's bandanna. "Why do you hurt me so, Sir Flik??!"_

_            "Okay, okay, fine!!!" Flik snapped. "Now give back my bandanna!!!"_

* * *

            "And what's more, I have Apple-neechan and Shu-sensei too!!!" Nina cried gleefully.

            "What??!" Nanami's jaw dropped open.

            "Well actually, it's nothing official yet," Nina admitted. "But Apple-neechan promised me she'd make him agree."

            "Hah, I'll bet he won't agree!!!" Nanami said.

            "How much would you be willing to bet on that??!" Nina's green eyes sparkled dangerously.

            Nanami gulped. _She didn't lie about Flik-sensei, could it be that she means this one as well?.._

**Author's Notes again: **Ehehehehe, interesting. XD


	4. Chapter 4: I Told You So

**Author's Notes: **Apple/Shu!!! XD

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 4: I Told You So**

            Apple peered in Shu's room and smiled cheerfully. "I brought you lunch, Shu-sempai!!!" She held out the bento to show it to him.

            Shu sighed. "Apple, I told you, you don't have too and I don't want to eat anyway."

            "Why, Sempai, you don't appreciate my efforts!!!" Apple stuck out her lower lip in mock sadness. "You know you should eat!! Just what will our Army do if our strategist gets sick??!"

            "They'll just have to rely on you then." Shu smiled. "Apple, that's why you're there. And Klaus. The two of you are very competent strategists. So the two of you are going to have to be able to think for the Army in any event that I could not do it."

            "Anyway, we won't have to worry about that if you remain strong and healthy!!" Apple shoved away the books and papers and placed the lunchbox in front of Shu.

            "I can see you are not to be dissuaded," Shu chuckled. "I will just have to eat."

            "That's right!!" Apple nodded. "Large servings of tempura and steamed white rice with stir-fried vegetables. Huan-san would recommend it."

            "Hey now, you don't expect me to eat it all myself, do you?" Shu asked.

            "Yes," Apple pulled a chair near his and sat down. "I already ate."

            "I don't like it when people watch me eat." Shu said.

            "You'll just have to bear with it today." Apple said.

            "I don't really have much of a choice." Shu broke the chopsticks and started eating. "Are you sure you don't want any?"

            "Well…" Apple looked at the shrimp. "I think I'll have a bite of the tempura."

            "Say 'ah'," Shu grinned and picked up some tempura for her. Apple delicately ate it.

            "Apple?" Shu turned to her with a serious look on his face.

            "Yes, Shu-sempai?"

            "You seem… I don't know, a little more cheerful today." Shu observed.

            "Maybe it's the nice weather." Apple mused. "Does it bother you?"

            "Definitely not!!" Shu exclaimed. "It's… good. I think it's even rubbing off on me…"

            "Well, you could use some cheering up, Sempai." Apple said.

            "I suppose so…" Shu shrugged.

            "Umm… by the way, Sempai…"

            "What is it?" Shu raised his brows questioningly.

            "Can you do something for me?" Apple asked.

            Shu thought for a minute. "It depends on what that 'something' is."

            "Well… it goes like this…" Apple began. "You know the season, right? Well, umm… it's going to be Easter soon and so… there's bound to be a lot of celebrations—"

            "Apple?"

            "Yes?"

            "Don't… beat around the bush and just tell me straight up." Shu said.

            "Yes Sempai." Apple felt a bead of sweat slide down his forehead. _Ah well, he's always sharp. I should have known. _"Anyway, can we team up for the Easter Egg Hunt??"

            "Easter Egg Hunt??!" Shu fixed her an incredulous look.

            "You know, hunting for colorful eggs and get some prices." Apple explained.

            "That Easter Egg Hunt."

            "Yes."

            "………" Shu's eyes narrowed. "Oh… you're not joking are you?"

            "I'm not joking." Apple said.

            "You're serious."

            "Dead serious."

            "Oh…" Shu sighed. "Oh."

            "Oh, meaning?.." Apple looked at him expectantly.

            "Oh, meaning I don't know how to react to that…" Shu said.

            "Oh come on, Sempai," Apple wheedled. "You had fun with it too as a kid, didn't you?"

            "There are the keywords." Shu said. _"As a kid."_

"It will still be fun." Apple said in the most convincing tone she could muster.

            "But…"

            "Oh come on, Sempai…" Apple pleaded. "It comes only once a year…"

            "Saying I agree," Shu began. "We still need two other people right? We can't join just the two of us, can we?

            "Well, no." Apple said. "But actually, Nina wants us to join her team…"

            "Oh, now I understand." Shu gave her a wry look. "It's that girl's idea."

            "Well, actually… yes." Apple nodded.

            "Oh boy…" Shu sighed.

            "So??" Apple asked. "Please??"

            "You, know what? Fine." Shu said.

            There was knocking on the door. "May we come in, Shu-sama?"

            "Come in." Shu called.

            The door swung open and Nina peeked in. "Ah, I knew you where here, Apple-neechan. Come on Nanami." She entered and Nanami followed her.

            "Oh, it's a good thing you're here, Nina." Apple smiled at her. "I have something to tell you."

            "What is it?" Nina looked at her expectantly. "Good news?"

            "Yes," Apple said. "You should register us now because Shu-sempai agreed to go to the egg hunt. Right, Sempai?"

            "… Yes." Shu nodded.

            Nanami's jaw dropped open. Nina jumped excitedly. "Hooray!!"

            "………" Nanami's face soured and she glared at Nina.

            "I told you so!!" Nina sang. She held out her hand at Nanami. "Five hundred potch please."

            "Hmp, you win this little battle," Nanami slapped the money on Nina's hand. "But you ar not winning the war that is the egg hunt!! I've got the perfect team!!"

            "Hmm, we'll see about that!!!" Nina said.

**Author's Notes again: **Ahahahahahahahah!!! XD


	5. Extra: And The Others

**Author's Notes: **This chappie isn't part of the main storylines but I wrote it just for… well, fun. ^^;;;; Erm, well, not really. It's just that, I might put bits and pieces of them later so better put them in now!!! XD So, if you're a lazy reader, you can go ahead and skip this.

**Disclaimer: Duh, if you don't know that Konami owns Suikoden, you shouldn't even be reading this.**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

****

****

**Extra:**

            "Hmm, to be honest, I didn't think the egg hunt would be so popular…" Leona said.

            "I guess there a lot more people who wanted to have fun than you initially thought?" Viktor suggested.

            "Hmm… perhaps." Leona shrugged. "Or maybe it's the sixteen thousand potch they want?"

            "Now, now, there's no need to be so cynical." Viktor grinned.

            "Look at this…" Leona pointed to one of the registration forms. _"Hanna's Angels…" _She grinned at Viktor.

            "Hanna, Tuta, Yuzu, Pete," Viktor read aloud. "Interesting…"

* * *

            "Hello Yuzu-chan!!!" Pete called, running in the ranch. Tuta followed him, a first-aid kit slung on shoulder as usual.

_            "Hi Pete-chan, hi Tuta-chan!!!" Yuzu waved. She jumped off the sheep she was riding on and patted it affectionately. "Taro-chan says 'hi' too!!"_

_            "Hey Yuzu-chan, we'll join the Easter Egg Hunt, right?" Pete asked._

_            "I want to," Yuzu tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "But I thought Tuta-chan wasn't sure if he can…"_

_            "Huan-sensei said yes," Tuta informed her enthusiastically. "He said I was allowed too and that's it's a good sort of game for young boys."_

_            "And what about little girls?" Yuzu asked. "It's good too, right?"_

_            "I didn't ask." Tuta said. "But I'm sure it is too!!"_

_            "YAY!!!" Pete threw his arms in the air and spun in a circle. "We're joining, we're joining!!!"_

_            "Well, not yet…" Tuta murmured. "We need one more person…"_

_            "I know!!!" Yuzu clapped enthusiastically. "We can ask Susie-chan, the little girl who comes here in the ranch and plays with me and Taro everyday!!"_

_            "Shouldn't we get a grown-up to join our team?" Tuta asked._

_            "Why?" Yuzu's brows drew together._

_            "Well, they say grown-ups are better at doing things so they can help us." Tuta explained. "And they are taller and they can reach eggs we can't reach!!!"_

_            "Oh, that's right!!!" Pete clapped his hands. "We can ask Tony-san to join us!!!"_

_            "But I want a girl teammate." Yuzu pouted._

_            "Well…" Pete thought. "Who can we ask then?"_

_            "Oh, I know!!!" Tuta pointed to somebody sitting by the cliffs. "There's Hanna-san. Maybe, she will agree?"_

_            Hanna was just sitting on the grassy ground, enjoying the fresh air and the quiet when she suddenly heard three ear-splitting yells._

_            "HANNA-SAN!!!"_

_            "HELLO HANNA-SAN!!!"_

_            "HANNA-SAN PLEASE JOIN US!!!"_

So much for peace and quiet. _"………" Hanna looked at the three children blankly._

_            "Hanna-san, did you hear about the egg hunt?" Tuta asked._

_            "………"_

_            "You did, right?" Pete said excitedly. "She did!!!"_

_            "Oh, good!!!" Yuzu exclaimed. "Will you join our team?"_

_            "………"_

_            "You will, right?" Pete clapped his hands. "Hoo-ray!!!"_

_            "………"_

* * *

            "Oh, oh.. how about this one?" Leona pointed to another form.

            _"Forest Friends."  _Viktor snickered. "Any guesses why?"

* * *

            "H-hello Ayda…" Kinnison called to the girl who was perched high above a tree branch. "May I have a word with you?"

_            "Sure," she shouted back at him. "If you don't mind having to climb up, that is."_

_            "You'll have to stay down here for a while, Shiro." Kinnison kneeled down and ruffled his friend's fur. Then he climbed nimbly up the tree._

_            "What is it you wish to speak about?" Ayda asked him._

_            "W-well…" Kinnison scratched his head then looked up at her bashfully. "You did hear about the Easter Egg Hunt didn't you?"_

_            "Yes, I did." Ayda answered._

_            "Umm, I wanted to ask you, would you be interested to join?" Kinnison asked._

_            "Well… it's a rather interesting idea…" Ayda said._

            "Then, what about it?" Kinnison smiled at her. "Team up with Shiro and me."

_            "Sure." Ayda said. "Just one question though."_

_            "What is it?"_

_            "Are you sure beasts are allowed to join?"_

_            Kinnison blinked. "Well, why not?'_

_            Ayda shrugged. "I don't know. Usual complexities of human events… anyway, I wish Feather can be with us as well."_

_            "Oh of course." Kinnison nodded._

_            "It's settled then." Ayda smiled._

* * *

            "This has got to be the most uninspired name I've ever seen," Leona gestured to yet another form.

            _"Knights." _Viktor laughed. "You think they could have at least said, 'Red and Blue Knights' or 'Knights of the Sword'. But no."

* * *

            _"Aww, c'mon Valeria," Anita purred. "Don't you ever loosen up?"_

_            "Not in the way you do," Valeria pointed out. "I have better things to do with my time than crawl all over North Window Castle's lawns, searching for brightly colored eggs."_

_            "C'mon, it will be fun." Anita said._

_            "No, thank you."_

_            "I get it." Anita smirked triumphantly._

_            "Get what??!" Valeria demanded._

_            "You suck." Anita whooped._

_            "I, what??!" Valeria demanded._

_            "You suck at these sort of things!!" Anita laughed. "You probably came in last in every race, lost every contest. A dud. What a traumatic childhood you must have had!!!"_

_            "That's NOT true!!!" Valeria cried._

_            "Yes it is!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" Anita clutched at her stomach, still laughing._

_            "Stop that!!!"_

_            "No way," Anita sauntered over to the nearest table, which happened to be occupied by Miklotov and Camus._

_            "Hey Miklotov, what do you say we have some good old fun and get all roughed up and dirty this Sunday, huh?" Anita asked._

_            Miklotov choked on his wine and turned beet-red. He struggled to place his glass on the table and glared at Camus who was stifling his laughter._

_            "Uh… m-milady…" Miklotov gulped when Anita bent down and rested her elbows on the table. "I, I, uh…"_

_            "Why so nervous, honey?" Anita cooed. "Hey Camus, get that dirty grin off your pretty face."_

_            "Huh?" Camus gave her a look of exaggerated innocence._

_            "I was just inviting Miklotov over here for some happy times," Anita looked at Miklotov with puppy dog eyes. "Come on Miklotov, you can't refuse an invitation to the Easter Egg Hunt, can you?''_

_            "Egg hunt??" Miklotov blinked._

_            "Egg hunt??!" Camus wrinkled his nose. "But I thought—"_

_            "I was hitting on him??" Anita giggled. "Ah Camus, you have such a naughty little mind. That's why I love ya."_

_            "Well, milady, I am not certain if I can go to the egg hunt this Sunday," Miklotov said._

_            "Aww, you're so uptight, Mikky…" Anita ran a finger down the front of his coat. "You are just like Valeria. I would just have to take care of people like you." Anita turned back to Valeria and pulled her over to the knights' table. "Sit down, honey, we should all have a little chat and be friends, right?"_

_            "So, you are proposing the four of us go to the egg hunt, right?" Camus asked._

_            "Why of course." Anita nodded. "It will be fun."_

_            "I thought I made myself clear," Valeria snapped. "I am NOT going to participate in something so irrelevant, something so childish—"_

_            "Valeria, it will be good for you." Anita smiled. "Hey boys, did you know Valeria was incompetent as a child?"_

_            " I was not!!!" Valeria cried._

_            "She doesn't have good memories of the fun games children play." Anita explained. "So that is why she is so apprehensive about reliving them."_

_            "That is not true, Anita." Valeria fumed._

_            "Lady Anita, you should stop reminding Lady Valeria about such traumatic experiences," Miklotov said in a gentle manner._

_            "Aww, Mikky, you are right." Anita winked at him._

_            "I am not traumatized!!!" Valeria said harshly._

_            "Ah, Valeria," Camus shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It is nothing to be ashamed of, everyone has gone through such experiences in their lives after all."_

_            "Oh shut up," Valeria muttered._

_            "You should listen to Camus, dear." Anita said. "It all makes sense, doesn't it boys? Her obsessive behavior, her insecurity—it is all explained by that childhood trauma."_

_            "FOR THE LAST TIME, I AM NOT TRAUMATIZED!!!" Valeria shrieked._

_            "Don't worry," Camus rubbed her shoulder consolingly. "We will face your fears and may we conquer them." Valeria gave him the evil eye and jerked her shoulder to get his hand off._

_            "That's right, Camus." Anita giggled. "Don't worry Mikky. I'll take care of you and Camus will take care of Valeria and everything will be fine and dandy."_

_            Miklotov sighed. "………"_

_            Camus winked at Valeria. Valeria did her very best not to lose her temper and strangle the Red Knight. "………"_

* * *

            "Leona-san, Viktor-san, they say it's about time for the egg hunt to start." Meilin said.

            "Oh, that's right." Leona gathered the forms. "Let's go outside now, Kuma-san."

            "Gah, why do you insist on calling me that?"

            "Because you ARE Bear." Leona laughed.

**Author's Notes again: **And now, let the egg hunt begin!!! XD


	6. Chapter 5: And So It Begins

**Author's Notes: **Yeah, now it starts!!! XD

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 5: And So It Begins**

            Leona raised her hand. "Let the egg hunt begin!!!" She brought it down in one quick movement, a signal for the players to move.

            "Get out of my way!!!" Nanami snarled at Nina, as she ran past the schoolgirl, elbowing her.

            "Ouch!!! No, YOU get out of my way, you uncouth little tomboy!!!" Nina shrieked.

            "AAAAAAAAGH, how dare you call me that!!!" Nanami pulled out her Flower Rod and shook it threateningly at the Nina.

"Eek!!" Not to be outdone, Nina swung her book belt at Nanami.

"Hey, hey, enough!!!" Apple placed her hands on Nina's shoulders to restrain her.

"Onee-chan, Tomo-chan and Templton are already ahead of us." Riou told his sister, hooking his arms through hers to stop her from tearing Nina apart.

"Hmp, you're SO lucky Riou-chan is here to hold me back. I'll get you next time." Nanami promised before turning on her heel and following Riou across the lawn. "Hey, Riou-chan… you called me Onee-chan!!!"

"I did not!!!" Riou denied.

"Oh yes you did!!! KYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Nanami guffawed.

"Bring it on!!!" Nina screamed after Nanami, shaking her fist.

"Hey Nina, let's go over there." Flik pointed at the thick bushes dotting the border of the lawn. "Knowing Kuma-san and his lack of imagination, he'd hide them there."

"Yes, Sir Flik." Nina nodded, hearts in her eyes.

* * *

"Eek!!" Pete tripped over a stone and fell.

"Are you alright?" Yuzu asked, helping him up.

"I scraped my hands!!" Pete sobbed.

"Oh, sweetie…" Tengaar cooed hovering over Pete. "Tuta, you have some sticky bandage, don't you?"

"Yes, Onee-chan." Tuta handed her his first aid kit. Before Tengaar can get it, sombebody grabbed it first.

"Here it is." Hix dug a hand into the bag and pulled out the plasters. Tengaar stuck them unto Pete's hands.

"There, there, stop crying." Tengaar ruffled his hair. "Go on then, Hanna-san is waiting for you children." She pushed them in Hanna's direction.

"Careful now." Hix called after them.

"Watch your step." Tengaar called at the same time. They both turned to each other.

Hix frowned. "………"

Tengaar crossed her arms and turned away. "HMP!!" She stomped towards a tree one of her teammates had climbed in search of eggs. "Wakaba-chan, you're too high up!!! Come down now!!!"

"Just a minute, Onee-chan" Wakaba called to Tengaar. _Now, I know there has got to be an egg here somewhere—AHA!! A nest…_

"BOO!!" Sasuke suddenly appeared, hanging off the tree branch in front of her, startling the girl.

"Mind your own tree, ninja!!!" Wakaba shrieked.

"This is not YOUR tree." Sasuke retorted. He reached into a bird's nest below and took an Easter egg cleverly disguised amongst the bird eggs.

"HEY!!! I was supposed to be the one to find that!!!" Wakaba yelled at him.

"Oh well, too bad." Sasuke stuck out his tongue at her. "Looks like you're just a slow, stupid girl. He blinked to the next tree before Wakaba can strangle him.

"COME BACK HERE YOU IDIOT!!!" Wakaba hollered. She mustered all the strength she had to jump to the next tree. "EEK!!!" Her feet slid off the branch and she managed to hang on the branch with her hands, clinging for dear life.

"WAKABA-CHAN!!!" Sasuke hopped nimbly to the branch and held out his hand to her.

"I can manage." Wakaba said through gritted teeth. She swung herself unto the branch—inadvertently kicking Sasuke and knocking him off the branch.

"ACK!!!" Sasuke fell with a painful thud on the ground below.

"I'm sorry!!!" Wakaba apologized.

"Shut up, you stupid girl, you did that on purpose!!!" Sasuke yelled.

"I did not!!!" Wakaba yelled back.

"Like hell you didn't!!!"

"I said sorry!!!"

"I don't want your sorry!!!"

"Fine then!!!" Wakaba huffed. She climbed higher unto the tree, searching for eggs.

"Hey Luc-kun," Sasuke called to his teammate. "Can you teleport me back up that tree. I'll teach that Amazon girl a lesson."

"………" Luc shrugged. With a wave of his hand, a ball of light engulfed Sasuke and the ninja then disappeared.

"Hey Luc-kun, Luc-kun!!!" Millie ran over him, smiling happily. Bonaparte was waddling behind her, a basket of eggs on his head.

"………"

"Did you find any eggs yet?" Millie asked him.

"… No."

"Oh, okay." She picked up her basket and held it out at him. "Would you like some of mine?"

"………" Luc felt a bead of sweat slide down his forehead. "Er… I seem to remember this was supposed to be a contest…"

"Oh, right. We'll have to beat you." Millie shifted to basket to one hand and the other one pointed at his hand. "What's that?"

Luc lifted his hand. His fingers were clenched around a perfectly spherical crystal that sparkled like ice. It gave off a subtle blue glow. "It's… a Northern Star…"

"That's a Rune, right?" She pried his fingers off the crystal and peered at it. "What does it do?"

"It points perpetually to the direction of Crystal Valley." He replied.

"Oh, I see. Oh right, a little arrow." Millie tilted her head. "What did you bring it for?"

"I don't know. Futch thought it might be useful."

"May I hold it?" Millie asked. Without waiting for an answer, she placed her basket on the ground and took the Northern Star in both hands.

"Luc-kun, I'll just see how it works okay?" She said.

"………" _She asks too many questions. _

Millie turned around and around, watching the little arrow, which was consistently pointing northward. "Ooh, amazing."

"Hey, Millie-chan, let's get going!!!" Meg called as she and Futch walked towards them.

"Okay, in a minute." Millie said, still playing with the crystal.

"Luc-kun, let's go." Futch said.

"Wait." Luc said, waiting for the girl to give the crystal back to him.

"Oh, I'll walk with you for a while." Millie told him.

"………" Luc rolled his eyes. "You know what, take the crystal and leave."

"Really? Thanks!!" Millie threw her arms around him then ran off in some random direction.

"I think she forgot…" Luc gestured to the basket of eggs.

"Oh, right." Meg took the basket in her free hand. "Guess we'll see you guys later."

"Yeah, later." Futch said.

"Good luck." Meg winked.

"Not that we'll need it." Futch chuckled.

**Author's Notes again: **Meep!!! ^-^ BTW, that Northern Star thingy is just and idea I pulled out of the back of my mind.


	7. Chapter 6: Determination and Obsession

**Author's Notes: **Pretty Girls!!! XD This chappie is all about them!!!

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 6: Determination and Obsession**

            "Millie-chan, Millie-chan!!!" Meg ran after her. "Millie, stop NOW!!!"

            Millie stopped in her tracks and waited for Meg to catch up with her. "Okay, okay, Meg, don't get mad."

            Meg gave her a wry look and pushed the basket in her arms. "You forgot your basket."

            "Oh, thanks!!!" Millie placed the baskt on Bonaparte's back again. She held out the Northern Star. "Hey Meg, look at this!!! It's so cool, it points forever to Crystal Valley in Harmonia!!!"

            "Hmm…" Meg grinned. "Do you think we can use that when we go to Crystal Valley?"

            "You think Luc will let us borrow it?" Millie asked.

            "I was just kidding Millie," Meg snorted. "There is no way I'm going to entrust myself to a crystal forged by some nutty magician—"

            "HEY!!" Millie frowned.

            "No need to get defensive." Meg said. "We need to get back to Tengaar-neechan and Wakaba-chan. You wandered off in the wrong direction."

            "Eh, okay." Millie said. "Come along now, Bonaparte."

            The two girls and Bonaparte made their way back to the trees. Wakaba was still swinging amongst the branches and Tengaar was sitting on the ground, sulking.

            "Onee-chan, help me with these." Wakaba called.

            "Are you kidding me??!" Tengaar shrieked. "I'm wearing a skirt!!!"

            "And so??!" Wakaba demanded.

            "Geez, you don't know the first thing about propriety, do you Wakaba-chan?"

            "I don't think there's anyone around who will be interested in looking up your skirt, Onee-chan." Wakaba grinned toothily at her. Tengaar ignored her.

            "Hey Wakaba-chan, you should bring some of them down." Meg motioned to the growing pile of eggs Wakaba cradled in her arms. "You might drop them."

            "Yeah." Wakaba nodded. "Catch!!" She threw an egg at Meg who caught it reflexively.

            "Not like that!!!" Meg cried. Wakaba laughed and threw the other eggs in the same fashion.

            "Eek, sorry!!!" Millie said when she dropped one of the eggs.

            "EEP!!!" Bonaparte scrambled around too, trying to catch the eggs in his mouth.

            "Wakaba, I'll kill you if you get me dirty!!!" Meg swore. "Eek!!!" She rubbed her boots on the grass when an egg broke near her feet, splashing her boots with sticky egg white.

            "I want to climb up a tree too." Millie said.

            "Go there." Wakaba pointed to a tree close to hers. "I haven't checked that one yet."

            "Hey Bonaparte, cling to my arm." Millie jumped and caught one of the lower branches and proceeded to climb up. Meg looked up at her climbing and felt a little dizzy. "I think I'll stick to the ground."

            "Geez, I wish I brought Gadget with me." Meg complained as she crawled on the grass, looking for eggs. "Do you think that would have been cheating Millie?"

            "Umm, no. You can say Gadget is a tool. Like Bonaparte." She giggled, watching Bonaparte pick the eggs off the branches.

            "Hey, Tengaar-neechan," Meg called to the sulking girl. "Help us out."

            Tengaar stood up and half-heartedly looked for eggs. She found a few and tossed them in her basket.

            "Meh, Nee-chan, you should get over it." Meg said. "I'm sure Nii-chan didn't mean for you to feel bad about this whole teaming up thing."

            "That's easy for you to say." Tengaar mumbled.

            "Of course it is." Meg told her. "Everyone knows he cares for you more than anyone. He's not going to do anything to hurt you."

            "Do you think there's anything wrong with me?" Tengaar asked. "Anything lacking?"

            "STOP!!!" Meg put her hands over her ears. She rose to her feet and glared at Tengaar. "Nothing's wrong with you, Nee-chan. Nothing. I suggest you just enjoy the game while you can. And STOP obsessing about not being with Nii-chan for a little while." She crawled inside some bushes and hunted for more eggs.

            "I just don't get it!!" Tengaar cried. "I mean how can he prefer to tram up with those brats than with me??!"

            "Hey, don't refer to Futch as a brat!!!" Meg's head popped out of the bushes. "And anyway, it's not that Nii-chan preferred them, they just asked him first."

            "But, but…" Tengaar wailed. "You girls asked me first!!! And I said I'd team up with Hix!!!"

            "He just lacks foresight, that's all," Meg reasoned. "Nee-chan!!! There's an egg by your feet and you didn't even notice!!!"

            "Oh, sorry!!!" Tengaar picked it up and placed it in her basket.

            "Go search over there." Meg ordered, pointing to another clump of bushes.

            Tengaar sighed and continued hunting. "It's not lack of foresight, I'm sure he likes being with them more than being with me."

"Meh, Onee-chan, I doubt it." Millie said, sliding down the tree. "Here boy!!" Bonaparte jumped down and she caught it in her arms.

Tengaar frowned. "But—"

"Geez, Tengaar-neechan, I thought we were going to show them." Wakaba called from the tree above. She hopped down and landed awkwardly on her feet, clutching the eggs tightly in her arms and falling on her butt. "OW!!"

"Wakaba-chan!!!" Millie clapped a hand over her mouth. She and Tengaar ran over to Wakaba.

"Meg, Meg!!" Tengaar called. The trickster looked up from the ground and hurried towards them.

"Are you hurt?" Meg asked Wakaba. "Anything broken??"

"No, no…" Wakaba shook her head.

Tengaar examined Wakaba's leg worriedly. "I think you twisted your ankle, Wakaba-chan."

"I did not!!!" Wakaba cried.

"It looks hurt," Millie observed. "We should bring you to the clinic and—"

"I said, I AM NOT HURT!!!" Wakaba insisted. She got on her feet and hobbled towards her basket. "It's just a little shocked with the impact, that's all."

"Wakaba-chan…" Meg placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay if we stop for a while, just to get it checked—"

"Quit worrying!!!" Wakaba yelled, her face turning red. "I'm not fragile!!!" She picked up her basket and quickly walked away. "Hurry up, those idiot boys are already way ahead of us."

Millie, Meg and Tengaar exchanged worried looks before picking up their baskets and catching up with her.

"Wakaba-chan, Bonaparte can carry your basket for you." Millie offered.

"I can do it myself," Wakaba said defensively. "And no, I don't need any help with walking, thank you." She snapped at Tengaar who was holding her arm.

"Wakaba-chan, there's a difference between determination and obsession," Meg told her. "I think you have just crossed the line."

"What do you mean?" Wakaba asked, annoyed.

"I mean, it's just a game." Meg replied. "Sure, we may have gone and said all those things to the boys about winning and stuff but it's still just a game."

"Our honor is on the line here!!!" Wakaba gasped in disbelief. "It's more than a game, it's, it's… it's our pride. They'll never let us hear the end of it."

"I'm sure that won't happen." Millie said. "They won't be that mean. They'll probably just boast a little, that's all…"

"THAT'S ALL??!" Wakaba stopped in her tracks and looked at her friends, eyes blazing. "I don't think that's all. It's not okay."

Tengaar looked sad. "Wakaba-chan…"

"Look, you all wouldn't understand." Wakaba shook her head. "As for me, I'm not going to stop now." She started walking again, the three other girls trailing behind her.

"What's gotten into her?" Meg wondered.

"I don't know…" Millie sighed. "Do you know, Bonaparte?"

**Author's Notes again: **O.o I lost all my ideas for this chapter!!! It was supposed to be much, much longer!!!


	8. Chapter 7: A Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Notes: **Now, time for some Nanami goodness!!! XD

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 7: A Beautiful Stranger**

            "Will you stop following me??!" Nanami yelled at Nina, who somehow wound up crawling under the same tree as she was.

            "I'm not following you!!!" Nina yelled back.

            They both spied an egg sitting between them. "AAAGH!!!" The two girls made a grab for it at the same time, gripping tightly at each other's hands in the process.

            "Let go, Nina!!"

            "No, you let go, Nanami!!"

            The egg was then crushed under the pressure of their hands. "Eew!!!" Nina cried, disentangling her hands from Nanami's.

            "This is all your fault Nina!!" Nanami accused.

            "What are you talking about??" Nina shouted.

            "If you hadn't tried to take my egg then this wouldn't have happened!!!" Nanami shook her hands, sprinkling Nina with raw egg.

            "It was my egg!!!" Nina took a swipe at Nanami's clothes, leaving most of the egg on the other girl's shirt.

            "Mou, you dumb blond!!!" Nanami rubbed her hands at Nina's hair.

            "AAAAH!!!" Nina shrieked, and jumped on Nanami.

            "AAAAH!!!" Nanami screamed then kicked Nina off. "Get off, you're so heavy!!!"

            "Hey, hey, that's enough!!!" Flik scolded, running towards them.

            "Sir Flik!!!" Nina sobbed, hurtling herself in his arms. "She kicked me!!!"

            "That's because you jumped on me!!!" Nanami yelled.

            "Eh, stop, stop!!!" Flik shouted. "Riou-chama, get your sister here!!!"

            "Nanami!!!" Riou jogged towards Nanami and grabbed her wrist, "I was looking for you. Hurry up!!!"

            "AAAAH, LET GO OF ME!!! I'M NOT FINISHED WITH THAT GIRL YEEEEEEEEET!!!" Nanami screamed as Riou dragged her away.

            "Sir Flik, you saved me!!!" Nina cooed, hugging him.

            "Urgh, Nina, let go of me, you're covered in raw egg." Flik said, wrinkling his nose.

            "Riou, STOP!!!" Nanami snatched her arm away from Riou. "What did you go and do that for??!"

            "You and Nina wouldn't stop fighting," Riou frowned. "It's just a game!!!"

            "It's more than a game!!!" Nanami yelled. _I lost five hundred potch in a bet with that girl… I am NOT going to lose again… _She shooed Riou. "We would cover more ground if we split up. You go that way and I go this way." She pointed Riou to the west and started towards the east.

            _Grr, that Riou, that scene SO made him the older sibling!!! _Nanami tugged savagely at her. _Kaa, I'll show that girl, that stupid schoolgirl…_

_            Huh??…_

Nanami halted, staring at the figure standing a few feet away from her. The stranger was completely covered in a hooded cloak, not unlike the one Clive wore. Nanami was sure the person was male, judging from the built and the stance. A long ponytail of a bluish black escaped from beneath the hood and flapped in the wind, the uneven coloring of the said ponytail indicating that the color was not natural. _I don't believe I have ever seen him before…_

"Hey!!" Nanami called to the stranger. "Are you new here??"

            The stranger turned to her. She could see a spark of recognition glint in those icy blue eyes she could just make out through the shadows of the hood. "Nanami-chan."

            "Wait—why do you know my name??!" Nanami demanded.

            The stranger started, then relaxed. "Who doesn't know the name of Riou-sama's sister?"

            "Oh… yeah, of course…" Nanami nodded. _Why am I so jumpy?? Maybe it's because I have the feeling that I should know who he is… He seems so familiar and… _Her eyes narrowed. "HEY!!! Why did you call me 'chan', huh?? Why are you talking to me so familiar??!" She pulled out her Flower Rod and got into defensive stance.

            "Forgive me," the stranger said, tilting his head slightly. "I thought you would prefer being addressed as such. It seems that I was mistaken."

            "N-no… it's okay," Nanami stammered. _I… I don't think I can take it if he would call me anything else… _"I would rather have you call me Nanami-chan than some other name. It's just that, that… I am not used to being called so by someone that… someone whose name I don't know yet."

            "I see…" the stranger sighed. "I am sorry then." He turned, the voluminous cloak rustling and started to walk away.

            "No, wait!!!" Nanami chased after him.

            "Huh?" His voice sounded surprised. He turned back to her.

            "I didn't want you to leave," Nanami said angrily. "I just wanted you to tell me your name!!!"

            "Oh…" Nanami caught a flash of white under the hood and knew he had smiled. Then he said. "Auxifer. Call me Auxifer."

            "Okay, good." Nanami smiled. "I shall call you Auxifer-san, then. Are you new here, Auxifer-san? You never answered that question."

            She caught the icy blues shifting. "Hmm… I guess, you can say that."

            "What do you mean by that?" Nanami asked. "I must tell you, I hate people who talk in riddles. I am a simple girl with a simple mind."

            "This is my first time… to enter North Window Castle." Auxifer explained. "I have passed around here, looked at the area, many, many times. But this is the first time I had a chance to enter."

            "Why?" Nanami prodded.

            "Clearance. I just got it now." Auxifer said. "The guards wouldn't let in anyone suspicious and…" he laughed. "Apparently, I am one suspicious character."

            "You would look a little more honest it you lost the cloak." Nanami commented.

            "But I must not." Auxifer said. "I… I am afraid the cheerful atmosphere will press all around against me, suffocating me and shaking my convictions."

            "What??!" Nanami gave him an odd look. _Is this guy crazy or something??_

Auxifer laughed. What a beautiful sound. "Too much sun. It is harsh on my skin. I come from the north and am not used to it."

            "Ah, I knew it!!!" Nanami exclaimed. "A Harmonian cloak!!!" _That is odd… He has a familiar accent; not like the soft, melodious voices of Annalee-chan and Clive-san…_

            "The garment is certainly Harmonian…" Auxifer mused. Before Nanami could say anything else, he spoke again. "Would it be too much to ask… will you show me around?"

            "Of course!!!" Nanami nodded. "I'll show you around and introduce you to everyone!!! And you'll soon feel at home here." She smiled brightly up at him.

            "Thank you." Auxifer bowed. "May I?" He gestured at her basket.

            _Oh, the eggs!!! _Nanami's eyes widened.

            "Is there something else you should be doing?" Auxifer inquired.

            "Oh, no, no—nothing!!!" Nanami lied. She let him carry the basket of eggs. "We go there." She pointed to the shopping lane. "Let's go there. That's where the shops are."

            "It's such a lively place," Auxifer observed as they zigzagged through a large group of children playing a game.

            "I know," Nanami said. "It's nice. Although, I like my peaceful and quiet hometown much better…"

            "Yes…" Auxifer agreed. "It's much more beautiful there…"

            "How did you know?" Nanami asked, more with wonder than wariness.

            "I have been to Kyaro," Auxifer told her. "It's a lovely place."

            "No, I mean, how did you know… that I was from Kyaro?" Nanami clarified.

            "I-I… I heard from someone…" Auxifer stuttered.

            Nanami glared at him. He could feel his heart thump in his chest erratically. _Did I make her suspicious?.._

"You _eavesdrop _on people??!" Nanami poked an accusing finger at his chest. "That is NOT good!!!"

            He felt a bead of sweat slide down his forehead. "I-I-I…" Nanami could faintly make him out biting his lip. "Hey!!!" Auxifer cried, pushing her finger away. "Don't tell me you never eavesdrop on other people!!! You would _certainly _be lying!!!"

            Nanami turned a cherry-red. "W-well…"

            He grinned at her triumphantly—or at least, from what Nanami could see. The hood cast too dark a shadow on his face. "I'll bet you eavesdrop more than I do!!!" Auxifer said.

            Nanami gave him a wry look. _Somehow… I KNOW he's right…_

"But I won't hold it against you." Auxifer said.

            "Here we are…" Nanami gestured at the shopping lane. "Shall we begin the 'tour'?"

            "Ready when you are." Auxifer said.

**Author's Notes again: **Whoo-hoo!!! XD


	9. Chapter 8: Those Stupid Girls!

**Author's Notes: **Well now, it's time to focus on the Pretty Boys!!! XD

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 8: Those Stupid Girls!!**

            "Umm…" Hix looked around. "I think we have gone too far…"

            "What do you mean??" Sasuke swung on a tree branch, hanging by his feet upside-down so he could talk Hix face-to-face.

            "I mean, they wouldn't have gone this far…" Hix looked around the woods. The trees were too tall, the grass was too thick and they were just too far away from the Castle.

            "Hmp, I think you're just scared…" Sasuke sniffed.

            "Scared??" Hix frowned. "Why would I be scared??!"

            "Because of… SNAKES!!!" Sasuke threw a long, slithery object at Hix.

            "AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Hix slashed at it with his sword.

            "Geez, it was just my belt…" Sasuke grumbled. He jumped off the tree and kicked at the pieces. "You're too jumpy."

            "You shouldn't joke like that!!!" Hix reprimanded hotly. "In any case, I think we should go back to the Castle."

            "You're just scared…" Sasuke mumbled.

            "No, he's right…" Futch approached them, swatting at the mosquitoes that buzzed around him. "We have gone too far."

            "You're scared too??" Sasuke blinked.

            "I am not!!!" Futch cried.

            A ball of light formed near them and Luc stepped out of it. "Notice how we haven't found any eggs for a while already?? There isn't any here."

            Hix shot Sasuke an I-told-you-so look then started walking towards the Castle. Or so he thought.

            "I think the Castle is due to the right," Futch said.

            "Didn't we come from here?" Hix asked.

            "No, I'm pretty sure we came from the right." Futch said. "There's that tree marking the spot.

            "And there's a tree that looks like it over there." Luc pointed at the opposite direction.

            "………" Sasuke stomped his foot. "Oh great. We're lost."

            "No we are not." Luc said through clenched teeth. "We are just directionally confused."

            "What the hell are you talking about??!" Sasuke shrieked. "We're lost!!!"

            "Hello, note, sarcasm." Luc snapped.

            "Well we're at the southern woods so wherever the Castle is, it's due North." Futch said. "Luc, take out your crystal and point us northward."

            "I don't have it." Luc muttered.

            "Didn't we ask you to bring it?" Hix asked.

            "I did bring it, it's just that…" Luc ground his teeth together. _That stupid girl… _"Anyway, I will just teleport us to the Castle lawn, how does that sound??"

            "Isn't that cheating??" Hix had a worried frown on his face.

            "No it isn't." Luc held his Wind Rod at the ready. "And if it is, no one else ever need to know that."

            "I'm sure we can find our way back…" Futch said.

            "Yeah, and by that time, the egg hunt would be over." Sasuke stood beside Luc. "I don't want those girls to defeat me. Let's get there quickly."

            Not wanting to be left behind, Futch and Hix went over to Luc and let the ball of light engulf them.

            "Amazing." Sasuke grinned. "Just like that and we're baaaaaaaaaaack!!!"

            "Can't you ninjas also teleport, Sasuke-kun??" Futch asked. "You always reappear and disappear."

            "Nah." Sasuke shook his head. "That was just an illusion of 'blinking'. It's actually just very fast movement." His sharp eyes caught a glimpse of color amongst the grass. "EGGS!!!" He ran to retrieve them.

            "Why is Tengaar like that?" Hix asked as they followed Sasuke. "I mean, she spends time with the girls. What's wrong if I spend my time with you guys?"

            "I don't think she finds anything wrong with it." Futch said. "She was just upset at the moment."

            "Why was she upset??" Hix looked confused.

            "Oh I don't know." Futch said. "She'll come around though."

            "What do you think, Luc-kun?" Hix asked.

            "………"

            "Oh… yeah. You're not the type I should be asking."

            Luc stiffened. "… What do you mean by that??"

            "I didn't mean anything bad!!!" Hix promised. "I just… Well… You don't seem to care about girls anyway."

            "What makes you say that??" Luc questioned coldly.

            "Well… I don't know." Hix shrugged. "That's what I gather… from the way you act."

            "Don't be so quick to judge me." Luc said.

            "Why, are you interested??" Hix's eyes widened.

            "... No." Luc replied.

            "Well, I rest my case." Hix grinned.

            "Ah, Nii-chan, I'm sure Luc-kun is just waiting for the right one, right?" Futch nudged Luc.

            "That's disgustingly sentimental of you." Luc declared.

            "Hey guys, let's go over there!!!" Sasuke pointed enthusiastically to a row of plants and made his way to it.

            "Well, I'm glad he's enjoying it." Hix said.

            "He's bent on beating Wakaba-chan." Futch explained.

            "Just Wakaba-chan?"

            "Yeah…" Futch chuckled. "She's the only one he considers as 'worthy competition' among the girls."

            "Why??" Hix scratched his head.

            "I'm not really sure… I think it has something to do with her short hair, her strength…" Futch smiled. "He thinks the skirted girls are too 'wimpy' and 'sissy' to take seriously."

            "He wouldn't say that is Tengaar had him for two minutes." Hix shuddered.

            "………" Luc reached into the bushes and pulled out a brightly colored egg. He placed it in his basket and looked again.

            "AAAAAAAAAAAAH, IT'S THE GOLDEN EGG!!!" Sasuke hollered.

            "REALLY??" Futch looked over Sasuke's shoulder.

            "I want to see too," Hix pushed Futch a little to catch a glimpse as well.

            "………" Luc stared blankly at them.

            "Here it is!!!" Sasuke pulled out the egg. "Oh… wait false alarm…" Sasuke huffed then placed the yellow egg in his basket.

            "… What's the golden egg?" Luc asked.

            "It's a gold-colored egg that's worth fifty eggs." Futch explained.

            "What are you all standing there for??" Sasuke snapped. "Get back to hunting!!!"

            "………" Luc bent over and picked up a glowing blue object off the ground. _I knew it…_

"Hey…" Futch nudged Luc. "I thought Millie borrowed the Northern Star?"

            "She did." Luc said.

            "But that's the Northern Star." Futch pointed at the blue crystal in the palm of Luc's hand.

            "So it is." Luc nodded.

            Futch blinked. "You teleported it here?"

            Luc rolled his eyes. "No. Obviously, she misplaced it. That girl…" He dropped the crystal in the pocket of his robes. _I should have known, she was not reliable. _He felt his cheeks turning hot. _Because… I'm angry. That foolish girl._

            "I think the girls have been here…" Sasuke said. "There's just that one yellow egg. There's no more around."

            "Let's go then." Luc said.

**Author's Notes again: **Tee-hee!!! XD Meloves every single one of them!!! XD That's all for now. The rest will be posted belatedly. =/ It gets better. I promise.


	10. Extra: The Knightly Four

**Author's Notes: ***hides* Sorry, sorry!!! I know it's freaking late!!! Very, very late!!! =( At least I'll finish it in time for this Easter. ^^; Anyways, just try to enjoy it.Yet another extra chapter. It's about the Knights. Care to read it? Or maybe you want to skip it?

@E. Feather: Yeah, well, poor Hix-niichan. ^o^ Well, I'll make the coupling work without changing Luc that much. =) Tomo and Riou because I never cared much for Eilie… ^^; And I think they'd look good together. I feel sorry for Nina-cha, that's why she's getting some of her way here. As for the Knights, I do love them. I just figured that the cool Valeria would have a temper as fiery as her costume in the event that any of her abilities are questioned. ^.^ Camus is here right now, as for Jowy… Let's see. ^_~ I thought Tengaar-neechan had always been a bit immature, but of course, she'll treat Hix-niichan better—later. Hee!!

@GreatLight432: Tomo and Riou is just a preference of mine, that's all. ^-^; I'm glad you liked it.

@Ice48: Pata-chan!! My favorite pikachu/moogle/elf/mage/unidentified-talking-being. I do think Riou/Tomo is great. And Kinnison/Ayda too. XD Like, duh for the last pair—they are SO together.

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Extra:**

            "A-ha, found you!!!" Anita exclaimed. She searched among the bushes, trying to reach a bright blue Easter egg. "Grr…" The swordswoman grunted, getting down on her arms and knees and reaching further.

            "Milady!!" Miklotov rushed over Anita. "You should not be doing such a thing!!!"

            "Huh? Hey, let go of me, let go of me!!!" Anita screamed when Miklotov held her arms and pulled her on her feet.

            "Allow me," Miklotov bowed slightly and then crouched down on the ground. He reached in the bush and pulled out the egg. 

            _I guess it can't be helped, he is a Knight after all… _Anita watched him, her lips curving into a slight smile. _Not that I mind…_

Miklotov stood up and offered her the egg. "Take it milady." He said, a very serious look on his face.

_Eh?.. _Anita felt the blood rush to her face… feeling her cheeks grow hot… _I'm actually… blushing?.._

"Is anything the matter, milady??" Miklotov asked worriedly. "Is the sun making you feel ill??"

"Ah, ah—no!!" Anita laughed nervously, feeling a bead of sweat slide down her throat. "Nothing at all!!! Aww, Mikky, you're so cute!!! You're always worried about other people!!!" She pinched his cheeks then turned and walked away, still laughing. _Disappear, damn you!!! _She resisted the urge to slap her own cheeks.

"I will carry your basket for you, it must be getting heavy." Miklotov said, trailing after her.

"Ah… oh… of course, okay!!!" Anita gave him the basket. "Ah, look there, it's Camus and Valeria!!! Darlings!!!" She waved excitedly.

"OUCH!!!" Camus pulled his arm away. His coat was torn and his flesh had several scratch marks.

"I told you it was a thorn bush." Valeria said flatly.

"Who would think of hiding eggs in a thorn bush, what a savage tactic." Camus grumbled. "What if it were children who wandered in here and tried to retrieve the Easter eggs??"

"Camus, even children have enough sense not to thrust their arms into a thorn bush." Valeria pointed out dryly.

"I feel insulted, you were _insinuating_ that I have less intelligence than a child." Camus put on an injured face and looked up at her with wide hazel eyes (that miserably failed to look innocent, Valeria noted).

"I am sorry Camus," she said earnestly.

"For hurting my feelings?" Camus asked slyly, the corners of his mouth tugging up into that 'lady-killer smile' (to which Valeria was completely immune, by the way, but not without a great deal of focus).

"For forcing your head too hard." Valeria smirked. "Please don't strain yourself, you need not use big words such as 'insinuating' for my sake, I am quite used to dealing with youngsters and their talk… boy." She ruffled his hair and walked away, hips and egg basket swaying as she went. _One point for me!!_

_Eheheheh… hahahahah… _Camus' eyes narrowed. _Ouch._

"What are you idling there for, Camus?" Miklotov demanded, motioning to Valeria. "You sit there whilst a lady goes without an escort, is that any proper way for a Knight to behave?"

"Don't be so hard on him I'm sure he was on his way to follow her," Anita said sweetly. "Right, Camus?"

Camus smiled, his teeth clenched so tightly they could just crack. "Of course, I was just about to do just that."

"Milady, shall I carry your basket for you?" Camus asked, panting slightly when he caught up with Valeria.

"Hmm?" Valeria regarded him doubtfully, trying to read what was behind his dazzling smile. "Take it then." She shoved the basket unceremoniously at him.

"Let's hurry up," Anita told Miklotov, tugging at his arm (which she had managed to link with hers). "We don't want to end up last, do we? I really wanted to let Valeria overcome her distaste for games, after all, she had been traumatized enough when she was a child. OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH!!!"

Valeria glared at her rival. Camus stifled his laughter and Miklotov just shook his head.

"Hmph." Valeria walked towards the edge of the woods.

"Milady, I don't think we should venture this far." Camus said.

"Yes, look at this place!!!" Anita wrinkled her nose. "There might be poisonous spiders here!!!" She shuddered. "I hate poisonous spiders!!!"

"Don't be silly, there aren't any poisonous spiders here." Valeria snapped.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE AREN'T ANY!!!" Anita wailed most uncharacteristically. "What do you call THESE then!!!" She poked at couple of spiderwebs.

"What's the matter with you, it's just a spider." Valeria was clearly at the end of her patience and just wanted spite somebody. She continued moving into the woods with Camus close behind.

"Ugh…" Anita groaned.

"We don't have to follow them milady, we can simply wait right here." Miklotov suggested.

"Hmm… right…" Anita purred.

Camus followed Valeria, more out of a sense of knightly duty than out of any real desire to follow her. She had after all, made it a point that she found him to be an annoying, juvenile flirt. _I'll show you juvenile, you wait and see…_

Valeria had stopped and quickly surveyed the area. She muttered something about other people brutally clearing the area of Easter Eggs and was about to go back to Anita and Miklotov but then Camus stopped her by taking her hand.

"Valeria…" Camus began.

Valeria scowled at him. "You will address me as Lady Valeria, or—"

Camus placed a finger over her lips. "Sssh…."

Valeria's eyes widened. _My God, does he ever give up?? If I were like the helpless heroines in most romantic novels, I would start wailing my head off. As I am NOT, I would likely draw my sword and fend him off… right about now…_

"Please do not make such a noise and any unnecessary movements…" Camus said seriously.

"Why?!" Valeria shot back a little too forcefully and crossed her arms over her chest, in an attempt to feel even a little less vulnerable. Her feminine intuition has struck out several warnings regarding her situation: being alone in a spider-infested wood with a red-blooded male [with so handsome a face that it should be outlawed] and her knees felt just a little shaky—but _surely _that was not brought about by the devilishly good-looking rogue's proximity. Right?

Camus leaned towards her, his deep voice caressing her ear. "Because… it might disturb them. You do not wish to provoke them, now do you?"

"Provoke who, what?" Valeria took a step back and turned a belligerent stare at him.

"Ssssnakessssssssss." Camus hissed as he made a sudden movement towards her. Surprised, Valeria jumped backward.

"Don't do that!!" She glared at him. "What do you mean snakes??! There aren't any snakes here!!"

"What is that by your feet then?" Camus observed.

"What thing—iyaaah!!!" Valeria shrieked and stumbled away from a couple of long, shiny black things on the ground… and fell right into Camus' waiting arms.

"Oh, don't be scared." Camus murmured in a patronizing tone.

"Let's leave, now!! What are you waiting for??!" Valeria cried, .

"Well… Actually milady… They aren't snakes." Camus grinned. "But pieces of a leather belt rather. My mistake."

"Don't. Ever. Scare Me. Like That. Again." Valeria growled in a dangerous tone. "And keep your over-excited hands to yourself."

"You say that," Camus said with a mock sigh. His brilliant hazel eyes were dancing. "But I can feel the pressure of your hands upon my back and your arms constricting my neck and chest—"

"Iyaah!!" Valeria screamed. [In a very cute way, Camus noted, she sounded just like a jumpy schoolgirl.] She pulled her arms off him immediately and pushed him away. Defnitely, her face must be as crimson as their uniforms. _How embarrassing. I didn't know I would have unconscious urges to take advantage of such situations!! _ She looked at the knight reproachfully; he was only smiling at her. She put a hand over her mouth. _This is terrible!! Such a sinful, carnal, scarlet woman—_

"Milady? Are you feeling well?" Camus inquired sweetly. He obviously enjoyed her discomfort. "Your face looks rather flushed."

"It's nothing." Valeria replied with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Perhaps I was of the correct judgment when I suggested that we not venture here, then?" Camus suggested.

"You know what? Fine." Valeria said evenly. "You were right. I was wrong. I hope the knight is happy." Valeria stalks out of the woods, following the tracks they made earlier.

True, Camus had been purposely trying Valeria's patience right from the beginning. But any bit of amusement from it fizzled just now. _Well, it was fun while it lasted. _Something told the knight that he had just crossed the swordwoman—seriously.

**Author's Notes again: **Umm… I just really luuuuuuuuuurve the Knights. ^^;;;;;;;;


	11. Chapter 9: Standing Outside Heaven's Doo...

**Author's Notes: **God, what was the cheesy chapter seven about anyway?? =P And naming the mystery guy "Auxifer". I was sleepy then!!! XP What was I thinking??! Now you'll see what. [But really, the name!! @____@ There is no justification for it!!]

Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

**Chapter 9: Standing Outside Heaven's Door**

            "I want to see all of it!!!" Auxifer declared. He turned to Nanami who was huffing. "Are you tired already?"

            Nanami's cheeks turned red with indignation and frowned. "Of course not!!!" She denied. "Come, let's go to the upper floors, I'll introduce you to everyone else."

            "That can wait," Auxifer said. "I should buy you a drink now."

            "Yeah," Nanami nodded agreeably. "I'll show you the tavern. I'll introduce you to Leona. Oh wait, she's not there, because of…" Nanami bit her lip. _The Easter Egg Hunt… I hope they're not too mad at me, boycotting it and all that…_

"Something the matter?" Auxifer asked.

            "Oh no, nothing!!!" Nanami laughed, waving her hands. "Let's go to the tavern."

            "Lead the way," Auxifer gave her a smile, it's radiance melting the frostiness in his ice blue eyes and turning it warm… like the color of the ocean. He took her hand in his.

            "Eh… okay then…" Nanami looked away, feeling her cheeks turn red again, with a completely different emotion this time though. She led him through the halls finally coming down through the main hallway.

            "Nanami-chan!!" Oulan called.

            "Hello Oulan-san!!" Nanami waved, pulling Auxifer with her towards Oulan. "This is my friend, Auxifer-san!!"

            "Good day." Auxifer bowed.

            "Hello. You are new around here, aren't you?" Oulan smiled at him. "Because I would know _each and every single _person around here. Even under that cloak." She flicked lightly at it. Auxifer yelped and flattened the hood against his head.

            "Yes ma'am, I'm new here." Auxifer replied nervously.

            "You should remove your cloak, Auxifer, we're not in the sun anymore." Nanami said.

            "Ah, is that so…" Auxifer stammered.

            "Hmm, it's okay, not even that hood can hide such brilliant blues." Oulan appraised him, drilling into his eyes. "Not bad… Now I can see why Nanami skipped out on Riou-chama, Templton and Tomo."

            "EEH??!" Nanami's eyes popped and she felt a bead of sweat slide down her forehead.

            "What was that?" Auxifer asked.

            "Nothing!!!" Nanami cried. "We're off to the tavern now, Oulan-san, see you!!!" Nanami grasped Auxifer's hand tighter and dragged him to the tavern.

            _I guess everyone's outside, at the egg hunt. _Nanami glanced around the empty tavern.

            "Welcome!!" Meilin, the waitress, greeted. "Leona-san is not here right now, but perhaps you would want some orange juice?"

            "Actually, yes, one tall glass of orange juice for me!!" Nanami said. "Oh, oh, what about you, Auxifer?"

            "Just the same thing, Nanami-chan." Auxifer said. "Shall we take a seat?" He took her arm and led her to a tiny table in a corner. He carefully placed the eggs on the table. "What are these for Nanami-chan? You never told me. They look a whole lot like Easter eggs…"

            Nanami bit her lip, looking down at the colorfully painted eggs. _That would be a little strange, wouldn't it; ditching the 'perfect team' you were so intent on making to spend time with a 'stranger'… _She caught the questioning blue eyes and looked away. _A 'beautiful stranger'… How long are we playing this game?.._

"Yeah, Easter eggs… just for fun…" Nanami answered vaguely. "The people here are really into this sort of stuff…"

            "I see…" Auxifer nodded. "They do seem like a really fun batch." He looked around. "You must be very happy, living here…"

            "I am happy…" Nanami mused. "Although of course, nothing can compare to Kyaro…"

            "Of course…" Auxifer murmured.

            "Two glasses of orange juice," Meilin placed a glass each in front of them.

            "Thanks," Nanami said. She waited for the waitress to leave before turning back to Auxifer. "How about you, did you leave your home, not because you wanted to, but because you had to?"

            "………" Auxifer let out a melancholy sigh. "Why do you think I'm here?"

            "I guess we're the same then," Nanami chuckled. "But don't get me wrong… I am happy that I am here in North Window Castle, I am glad to have met the wonderful people around me. And most especially… I have finally accepted the fact that Riou and I are here for a purpose—and I am grateful that we can actually make a change… by working with these people…"

            "I am glad…" Auxifer said. "Glad to see you are doing well…"

            "But what about you?" Nanami asked. "How are you doing… Jowy?"

            "… I guess you know me too well." He whispered.

            " Did you really think that covering yourself with that ridiculous cloak would do it?" Nanami snapped. "And your hair…"

            Jowy tucked the dyed ponytail under his hood. "It was the best I could do."

            "You can take off your cloak for a while." Nanami told him. "It's too warm. Nobody will see you anyway."

            Jowy heeded her advice and threw the cloak over his chair.

            _He's wearing his normal clothes… _Nanami allowed herself a little smile. _I'm glad he's not wearing the pompous Highland noble clothing…_

"You're spying on us, aren't you?" Nanami remarked. "That's really brave of you, but don't you think you're taking too big a risk? A leader shouldn't put himself in such a dangerous position."

            "A leader wouldn't," Jowy said. "But a friend would."

            "………" Nanami swirled at her orange juice, suddenly becoming very interested in it. _A friend…_

"I just wanted to see how you were doing—"

            "You saw us at Greenhill didn't you, Riou and I, while you were with that Karayan assassin." Nanami cut in.

            "Yes…" Jowy nodded. "And… I finally understood why it is we are forced to be where we are now… That said, I am glad that you wound up in such a cheerful place, you and Riou, among nice people…"

            "I suppose they are certainly far better compared to the company you keep." Nanami spat.

            "Believe me, Nanami, that is what I once thought of your companions as I compared them with mine." Jowy said. "That is why… that is why I went here…"

            "We don't have a crazy prince around here who treats everyone else like swine and kills without discrimination." Nanami retorted.

            "True." Jowy conceded. "And that is why we disposed of him."

            "DISPOSED OF HIM??!"             Nanami shrieked. "You were his right hand man!!! You lead him into victory many, many times, taking several cities for him, you even married his sister!!!"

            "!!!" Jowy gazed at her sadly. Nanami looked down at her glass, suddenly interested in her orange juice again.

            "The point it, it was MY allies who killed him, my allies—and Riou who finally managed to end his evil!!!" Nanami said.

            "Not without our help." Jowy said.

            "I didn't see this help. I didn't see a single wound on Luca Blight that came from you." Nanami said.

            "I do not like arguing about this, Nanami."

            "What do you want to argue about then?"

            "I don't want to argue at all…" Jowy said. "I just want to see how you are here. To share this life for a little while. I want to take back something of you when I have to go back to Highland again and will myself to fight against you and your allies… for you…"

            "Why did you want to see me?" Nanami demanded, quite outraged, but her heart throbbed more than with the pain she always felt when he was close to her, so close but so far at the same time. It throbbed with longing and hope, hope she had sought for so long to stifle—for she dared not hope and dream about him and him saying what he might just say next. "Why not Riou?? He is your best friend, isn't he?"

            "True." Jowy said. "But you… a friend… and more…"

            _For you to say this now!!! _"Now you claim to care about me?"

            "I do…" Jowy insisted, looking hurt.

            "Please, for once, just talk straight to me," Nanami requested. "All those past years, you would say things I didn't understand. I don't think you wanted me to understand you anyway. What am I to you?" _I just want to hear it from you…_

"You're important to me," Jowy said. "You and Riou, who is like a brother to me. And you Nanami… you are my family… and… Nanami…"

            _Just say it…_

"I love you…" Jowy said softly.

            "………"

"And nothing like the way Riou loves you—not a sister…"

            _And so he said it. Now what? _Nanami looked away. _"_Jowy… you're married."

            "To the Queen. Because I had to become King." Jowy explained. "That's the only reason—"

            "It doesn't matter," Nanami lied. "You're my friend. And that's how it will stay. Although… it is more difficult now… that we are caught in different sides in a war… But we will still be friends. And that's it. Anything else beyond that doesn't matter to me."

            "… But it matters to me." Jowy said, his blue eyes growing moist. "If it truly doesn't matter to you now, it is the exact opposite with me. Now, more than ever, it matters."

            _Why now, Jowy, why?? We had a decade and more to ourselves and you tell me these things now!! When tomorrow, a day from now—anytime soon, you and Riou could be fighting each other to death. Or we could be… _Nanami took a deep breath. "But that can't be. You are tied to someone else now, it would be unfair—"

            "What would be unfair is never to let everyone concerned know how I feel…" Jowy said.

            "How can you be so sure…" Nanami stared at him haughtily. "How can you be so sure that I would be concerned?"

            "………" Jowy stared back at her with earnest blue eyes, wincing in pain. "I'm not. I was just hoping…"

            "You won't give up, won't you?" Nanami smiled, but tears were slipping down her cheeks. "You are always like that. You would insist on what you want, only when you have decided you want it. You never think of how other people would feel about it."

            "I'm sorry Nanami…" Jowy apologized, reaching out to touch her arm but she pushed his arm away.

            "Just because… just because you have always known me… you have always seen me as the tough whiny little tomboy… you think you're not hurting me??! That I'm far too callous for that??! A girl doesn't have to be a Highland Princess to be hurt you know!!!" Nanami put her hands on her face and sobbed. "You think you can just think about me last always… always like that?"

            "Is that how you were really feeling, Nanami, all this time??!" Jowy uttered. "I wish I knew… I wish you told me…"

            "And what?? Risk looking like a fool??! Nanami, that fireplug, getting all sensitive because of her little brother's best friend??!" At this point, her voice rose several octaves, and she was wailing outright. Nanami glared at him through her tears. "I wish YOU told me, all these things you're saying now!!!" She stood up and the sudden movement jerked the table and caused her orange juice to spill.

            And then there was silence. All that could be heard was the _plip-plip _of the orange juice dripping off the table and unto the floor. Nanami was crying, her hands muffling the sobbing sounds and Jowy was looking at her, his childhood friend, his love, the most important person to him…

            "We're a pair of fools, aren't we?"  In one fluid movement; Jowy stood up, pulled her towards him in an embrace.

            "!!!" Nanami kicked him in the shin to release her, but he didn't let go.

            "All this time… here I was thinking you can read what was behind each and every single smile, petty quarrel, my teasing remarks… thinking that you can see through me whenever I worried about you, or went near you…" Jowy hugged her tightly. "I forget, you are too pure and innocent…" He stroked her cheek and smiled.

            "You mean stupid and dense, don't you?" Nanami grumbled struggling to get away from him.

            "You just cut me down again. Can you see now why it's so difficult to say what I really feel to you?"

            "… I guess it is." Nanami sniffed. She buried her face in his chest. "I'm so stupid…"

            "You're a stupid, whiny little tomboy," Jowy whispered. "You're also the kindest, sweetest girl with the craziest and most creative ideas I know, a beautiful young woman and an incorruptible angel."

            "I can't believe you're actually telling me this, that I'm hearing you say it…" Nanami hiccupped. "You… with that cloak and that ridiculous hair dye… coming to enemy camp just to see me…"

            "Shh…" Jowy said in a scolding tone, wagging one finger at her face. "Believe what you see. Isn't that what you used to tell me?"

            "You're right." Nanami smiled brightly, her brown eyes shining, the contrast it made with the tearstains down her face painted an oddly beautiful picture to the man holding her. "I can see Jowy is with me. That's what matters."

            They maintained their positions, the girl wrapped in the boy's arms, resting her head against his chest contentedly. Jowy ran his hands through her silky hair, enjoying the sensation. He then gently wiped the tears off her face. At last, he could touch her… and show his affection. Even for a fleeting moment.

            "Jowy is with me." Nanami giggled. "Jowy… with such an odd color to his hair…" She touches the long ponytail, her slender fingers twining themselves into the strands, playing with them. "All to see me…" The tips of Nanami's fingers moved lightly up the ponytail, to his scalp. Jowy closed his eyes, to better feel her touch upon him.

            "I have no regrets now," Jowy declared. "I have done what I longed to do the most. I am ready for anything."

            "… I'm scared." Nanami admitted softly. _And I don't want to let Jowy go._

"So am I…" Jowy said. "But we can't stop now. We've gotten so far. We can actually… lead this war to a definite end."

            Nanami sighed, and then nodded her agreement. "You're right. I'm being selfish again…"

            "No… you're just being human." Jowy kissed her lightly.

            "The egg hunt will be ending soon…" Nanami whispered. "A-and… you had better leave, before it's over and the others see you…"

            "Yes…" Jowy picked up his hooded cloak. Nanami placed it on him and secured the clasp around the neck. Hand-in-hand, they walked out the pub into the bright sunshine.

            "You take care of yourself." Nanami said. "Or you'll give me grief."

            "I will take care of myself." Jowy promised. "You do that too. And tell Riou I said hi—oh no, actually, don't tell him—"

            "It would be suspicious." Nanami finished for him.

            They embraced one last time. And then Jowy was walking away, his ponytail flapping in the wind, his cloak billowing like a mast. And he sailed across the plains of South Window. Nanami watched him until eventually; he became an indistinguishable speck on the horizon.

**Author's Notes again: **Aww… ;_; Yes, it certainly veered away from the egg hunt, ne? Although of course, if you hadn't noticed by now, the egg hunt is just an excuse to make a story and get everyone together. Eheheheh!! Anyway, the last leg of the race for the golden egg is coming up!!


	12. Chapter 10: Last Few Minutes!

**Author's Notes: **In a bout of update diligence, I will now write more.

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Chapter 10: Last Few Minutes!!**

            "Ladies and gentlemen!!" Rina waved at few spectators awaiting the results of the egg hunt. At the sound of her voice however, more people [mostly men] trickled towards that part of the castle grounds.

            "Did you remember appointing her as the official host?" Leona asked Viktor.

            "No. I didn't even know we were supposed to _have_ one." Viktor replied.

            "Me either."

            "But they don't seem to mind." Viktor pointed at the swelling crowd. "Fu Tan Chen could never attract this many people."

            "Yes, as a matter of fact, they seem quite pleased." Leona mused. The lady and the bear turned their attention back to the gypsy girl.

            "We are in the last few minutes of the egg hunt." Rina informed them, her street performer's voice ringing out quite clearly over the growing crowd. "In a most exciting twist, the golden egg is yet to be found."

            "And as anyone who has read the rules knows, the golden egg is worth _fifty_ eggs." Eilie said.

            "In the distance, you can see the Pretty Boys and the Pretty Girls frantically searching for the remaining eggs and of course, the ever-elusive golden egg." Rina gestured across the gardens and sure enough, the teenagers were running about.

            The two warriors seemed to be taking every care not to be near each other. The trickster girl and the dragonknight looked like they were having a pleasant chat, yet every now and then they'd elbow each other out of the way as they scrambled towards an egg. As for the magician, he was handing his blue eggs to the rather eccentric girl who exchanged them for her green eggs. He looked quite exasperated.

The ninja called Sasuke cut across the lawn with the speed of a wind. Unfortunately, he ran right past the martial artist, Wakaba. And then the martial artist was chasing the ninja.

            "Hey you!!" The crowd could hear Wakaba's shout as she ran after Sasuke.

            "Hey yourself!!" Sasuke yelled back.

            "What??! You stepped on my foot, you baka!!" The little orange figure that was Wakaba could be seen raising her hand threateningly.

            "Who told you to put your foot there, you _female_ ahou?"

            "Urusai, ninja boy!!" Wakaba screamed as she overtook him. "I'll make you pay!!"

            "Put a sock in it, you board-chested tomboy!!" Most everyone in the crowd felt a bead of sweat slide down their foreheads as they saw the distant shape of the ninja boy freeze. Whether it was from the karate girl's _ki _or from the realization of his stupidity, they never knew.

            "WHAT DID YOU SAY??!" The spectators then saw the girl run back to the boy and launch herself in a spectacular flying kick.

            "Orooooooooo~"

            "Please note that this contest may have scenes not suitable for very young audiences," Rina said in a would-be cheery tone. "Parental discretion is advised."

            Eilie rolled her eyes. "_Anyway_, that was the Pretty Boys and the Pretty Girls for you. Apparently, these two teams are neck to neck and are the sole competitors for the first place."

            "Let us now check on the other teams." Rina said. She walked over where the two disciples of Mathiu were sitting under a tree. Blue Lightning Flik and the schoolgirl clutched unto his arm were listening as Shu talked.

            "Listen, the team of the young boys and the young girls already had a head start." Shu said. "The only question is who will win the first place and who can win the second place. We, however, still have a shot at the third place. This is what we do. The southeastern area of the grounds have not been searched yet. The girls' team and the boys' team hold the ground where we are now, the eastern part. So what you do is, make a run for the southeastern side. There you shall have monopoly over the search."

            "Well, so let's go now then." Flik said.

            "No, you go, I prefer to sit in the shade and think." Shu said. Apple stared at him incredulously as a bead of sweat slid down her forehead.

            Flik muttered under his breath and left in a huff, Nina, who clung unto his arm, swung unceremoniously as he made his way to the southeastern grounds.

            "Shu?"

            "Yes, Apple?"

            "This wasn't what I had in mind when I invited you to the egg hunt."

            "It looks as if our master strategist still practices his skills even while in leisure." Rina said to the ground. "How… _dedicated._"

            "HEY!!" Eilie suddenly yelled. "What are those two doing??!" She pointed a finger at Riou and Tomo who sat on the grass with their backs turned to the crowd, shading their eyes as they looked at cloud formations. Two baskets with a few eggs each lay forgotten behind them.

            As the crowd watched, the leader of the Alliance Army leaned closer to the girl as he pointed to a particular cloud and whispered something in her ear. The girl looked at the cloud and nodded. They looked at each other, smiled and then laughed.

            "Why that oriental sneak!!!" Eilie had veins popping in her forehead, she brandished her knives and stomped towards the cloud-watching pair. Fearing bloodshed and the loss of their beloved leader, several of the crowd ran to the gypsy and dragged her away.

            "Lemme go, lemme go, or I'll kill you all!!" Eilie threatened. "RIOUUUUU!! You jerk!!"

            Riou and Tomo started.

Riou turned to Rina. "Did somebody say something, Rina-san?"

"No dear." Rina waved her hand. "It was nothing."

"If you say so…" the boy leader then put his hand on the girl's shoulder protectively and they turned to the clouds once more.

"Oh, over there!!" Rina pointed to a dog and a griffin sitting amongst bushes and trees.

Rina walked towards them. "Hello!!"

"Awoooooo!!" Shiro howled.

"Kukukuku!!" Feather clucked.

"Where are your masters?" Rina asked.

"Awoooooo!!" Shiro howled, his snout pointing at the bushes.

"Okay…" Rina disappeared behind the bushes. The crowd heard her 'eek' then a second later, she reappeared, her usually heavy-lidded eyes wide open and her dusky cheeks tinged with crimson.

"Okaaaaay… stay right there." Rina told the crowd as they moved towards the bushes. "Trust me, you don't wanna see… Umm, suffice it to say that they are as preoccupied as Riou-chan and Tomo-chan, or more so. My, my, the contestants seem to be losing interest in egg hunting [and becoming interested in their egg hunting teammates]…"

The crowd followed Rina as she looked for another team to interview. Every now and then they could hear her mutter: 'Can't believe those kids…' or 'And I thought I was bad…' Sometimes she'd say: 'Oh the trauma…' and 'I'll never look at bows and arrows the same way again…'

Rina perked up however, when she saw Nanami walking a little ways off. "Oh, Nanami-chan!!" 

Nanami looked up at her. "Oh… hello, Rina-san."

"How come you're not hunting for eggs anymore?" Rina asked. "I thought you were very excited about this event."

"Yeah? I guess I lost interest." Nanami said with an uncharacteristic sigh.

"Oh? What happened? You look rather lonely." Rina remarked.

"I don't really want to talk about it." Nanami looked at the crowd pointedly.

"Nanami-sempai!!" Everyone turned their heads to see the cutest cartographer in the world. Templton looked excited as he ran towards them, his blond hair bounced, robin's egg blue eyes shone and his hand waved a roll of parchment.

"Nanami-san, I made an excellent map of the castle grounds." Templton said proudly. He unrolled the parchment to reveal an intricate map. The ink was still wet. The crowd 'ooohed' and 'aaahed'.

"That's beautiful, darling!" Rina exclaimed.

"Oh, that's great." Nanami said in a dismissing tone.

"Sempai?" Templton looked at her questioningly. "You don't feel like the egg hunt anymore?"

"No."

"Oh…" Templton scratched his head then smiled at her, looking embarrassed. "That's good then. I was too busy mapping to gather any eggs and Riou-dono and Tomo-chan seemed to have forgotten all about it. They're, uh, cloud-watching."

"Really?" Nanami brightened up. "Good, good!! I'll see you later, Temply-chan."

Rina left with a slightly diminished crowd this time, some people opted to stay, and admire Templton's newest masterpiece.

"I won't let you catch up!!" Wakaba yelled. She ran swiftly past the crowd, but there was a pained wince marked on her features.

"That's what you think, baka!!" Sasuke yelled. He was barely gaining on her, if at all.

Wakaba ran on, despite the throbbing pain in her left ankle. It was getting much harder to ignore with each step. Every little impact jarred the tender flesh against her bone. And it hurt. _It damn hurt._

Her trained eyes caught a glint of gold. It was fleeting, but she had seen it. It was among a clump of bushes, only a few meters away. _So close!! Just a little bit more!!_

Halfway there, her left ankle simply gave away. She fell on her knees. Wakaba let out a cry of frustration as Sasuke ran past her. _The baka is going to get the egg!!_

"Haha, sucker!!" Sasuke stuck out a tongue at her as he jogged. Then he stopped. There was something wrong. Wakaba was trying to get up, but her left leg won't seem to cooperate. Her breath came out in huffs and her face was pale. Then he noted the unnatural angle of her ankle.

"Wakaba-chan, are you alright?" Sasuke stepped towards her, holding out his arms. Genuine concern was etched on his face.

However, Wakaba was in too much pain to notice. Seeing her rival of sorts making his way towards her with a patronizing hand held out to her kicked in her shame.

"Go away." She said through clenched teeth.

"Don't be ridiculous." Sasuke looked annoyed. "You're hurt, aren't you? Let me help you—"

"I'm fine!!" Wakaba cried. "I don't need your help, ninja boy."

The demeaning nickname caused his temper to flare. The martial artist had that way with him. "Look here, you baka tomboy, I've had it up to here with your superiority complex. Now if you don't take my hand _right now, _I'll leave you here incapacitated."

_Incapacitated?! _"Teme!!" Wakaba drew back her shoulders and gave him a powerful push on the stomach. Sasuke skidded away, right unto the—

"The golden egg!!" Sasuke cried from among the bushes. He made a few gagging noises, and left his semi-digested breakfast on the ground [he would never admit it, but boy, could that girl push].

Then he appeared from the bushes, the golden egg clutched tightly in his hands.

"NOOOOO!!!" Wakaba screamed in anguish.

**Author's Notes again: Aww, poor Wakaba!! And poor Sasuke too!! [They should make up and get over their differences and, well… =) What do you guys think?] Now the boys have a definite edge. But is it enough for them to win? Find out in the next chapter!!**


	13. Chapter 11: And The Winner Is

**Author's Notes: **Wow!! I'm on a writing spree!! I just thought I better not put this thing off anymore. Not while I have those readers that really make my day!! =)

GreatLight432: I'll do my best to live up to your expectations!! =)

**Disclaimer: One day, Millie/Luc will be mine, and I will laugh my head off at all those who opposed. It will be the biggest couple in anime/manga/game history. Just you wait and see!! =D Of course right now, I don't own anything related to them. Waah!! ;_____;**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Chapter 11: And The Winner Is…**

Sasuke shouted. Wakaba screamed. The former for victory, the latter at the face of defeat. The racket attracted the crowd and their teammates who had been chasing after them.

The boys arrived first, stepping out of a blue orb of light that Luc used to teleport them. Sasuke grinned at them, and then held out the golden egg so that it shone in the sunlight.

"Sasuke-kun, you found it!!" Futch exclaimed.

"Good job!!" Hix lightly slapped the ninja's back.

"Yes." Luc simply nodded.

"Wakaba-chan!! Wakaba-chan!!" The girls yelled. They panted from the extended sprint. When they saw their friend slumped on the ground, however, they picked up their pace.

"Wakaba-chan..?" Meg kneeled beside her. She held Wakaba down by the shoulders to prevent her from attempting to get up.

"Stop that, Meg." Wakaba pushed the trickster's hands away and tried to stand up again. She winced and then fell back on her knees.

            "That won't do!!" Tengaar cried. "Stop over-exerting yourself, Wakaba-chan."

            "I'm okay, Nee-chan."

            "Oh, poor Wakaba-chan…" Millie reached out a hand to remove her left leg guard.

            "I said I'm fine!!" Wakaba snapped. She brushed Millie's hand away.

            "Now, now, don't be stubborn." Tengaar scolded. "Let Millie-chan remove it."

            Wakaba frowned but made no move to stop Millie when the other girl started untying the laces of her leg guard. Millie gingerly slipped off the leg guard and Wakaba stifled a moan of pain.

            Millie gasped, a hand over her mouth. Wakaba's left ankle was now extremely red and swollen. It looked painful to say the least.

            Meg winced. "That must hurt."

            "Oh, Wakaba-chan, now look what you've done!!" Tengaar reprimanded.

            "AND TIME IS UP!!" Rina shouted. "The tallying of the eggs will now begin. Now if the teams will kindly step forward and bring their eggs to be counted."

            "The baka ninja boy got the egg." Wakaba muttered darkly.

            "There's nothing to be done now…" Meg shrugged.

            "HEY YOU!!" Wakaba shouted at Sasuke. She glared at him.

            Sasuke glared back at her.

            Luc was frowning in a disapproving manner at Wakaba. "Don't be a sore loser."

            "We haven't lost yet." Meg retorted.

            "There's your keyword, 'yet'." Sasuke smirked.

            "That's enough, Sasuke-kun." Hix said firmly.

            "Come on you guys, let's bring our baskets to Leona-san and Viktor-san." Futch said. The boys shuffled away. Futch spared a backward glance at Meg, who still seemed quite put off by Sasuke. Then he too, left.

            _I found that!! I found that egg first and you took it!! Baka ninja boy!!_ Wakaba was glaring at the grass. She grabbed a handful of the unoffending weeds and punched the ground. "They might win."

            "That's not the problem now!!" Millie said in her high-pitched voice, but her tone was very serious. Wakaba started.

            "You're hurt!! You should stop thinking about this stupid contest." Millie said.

            She must have said something wrong because the martial artist's dark brown eyes flashed. "Stupid contest??! Is that all you have to say??!" With a strength brought about by the rise of her temper, Wakaba got on her foot.

            "Bring your baskets to them. We haven't finished this yet." Wakaba looked at them, as if daring them to do something contrary.

            The other girls stood up. Meg shook her head. "Don't get so worked up."

            "I'll bring that for you." Tengaar made to grab Wakaba's basket, but Wakaba pulled it out of reach.

            "I can do it." She growled defensively.

            "I said, I'll bring that for you." Tengaar said in her sternest tone. "You stay here. You don't walk." Wakaba looked very unwilling and grumbled but handed the basket over anyway.

            Tengaar followed Millie and Meg, reaching the stone path that wound around the castle and following it until they reached the main entrance. In front of it, Leona and Viktor were sitting on a table, boxes bearing the teams' names around them.

            "Leona-san, here are the eggs I got and the eggs Wakaba got." Tengaar said.

            "Place them here, Tengaar." Leona indicated the box labeled: 'Pretty Girls' with a wave of her hand. "Counting will begin soon enough."

            "And woe betide you if there are any discrepancies in the number of our collection." Tengaar muttered under her breath.

            "What was that, dear?" Leona asked, a smile playing on her full lips.

            "Maa, maa—it was nothing, Leona-san, just… talking to myself, eheheh…" Tengaar forced a laugh and then slipped through the crowd of people and walked back to where Wakaba sat. Or rather, she was about to go there when she saw the orange-clad girl hobbling towards her. At least Nanami was now with her, and one of Wakaba's arms was draped about the older girl's shoulders for support.

            "Wakaba-chan!! I thought I told you to stay there??" Tengaar cried.

            "They're going to announce the winner in a few minutes." Wakaba said. _I'm not going to miss our victory… and if worse comes to worse, I will not shy away from defeat._

            "At least let me help you." Tengaar held out an arm for support. Wakaba took it without protest.

            "Yoo-hoo, Nanami!!" Nina called from behind. In one hand, she carried a heaping basket of eggs. In the other hand, she held Flik's hand and dragged him down the stone path as she walked. She picked up her speed, until she was walking beside the three girls. Flik was muttering some incomprehensible phrases.

            "What?" Nanami called back half-heartedly, clearly, she was not in the mood to bicker.

            "Look, how many eggs I've got!!" Nina said in a singsong voice.

            "That's nice." Nanami muttered.

            "Hey, how about you, how many did you get?" Nina asked.

            Nanami didn't answer.

            "Where's your basket."

            Nanami still kept quiet.

            "Well, what about that, you've decided to give up, eh?" Nina said smugly.

            "Nina, I couldn't care less about this stu—little egg hunt." Nanami declared.

            Flik snapped out of his black mood and looked at Nanami, noticing that there was something wrong with her.

            Nina was still rambling. "You should have known, you'd never, EVER win against me, and—"

            "Come on, let's get these to our box." Flik shook his hand out of Nina's grip and grabbed her wrist.

            Nina ignored him. "Nanami, is something the matter? You're too quiet."

            Nanami remained silent. Flik pulled Nina's wrist. "I said, _come on_."

            "Huh?" Nina was surprised by his stern tone but before she could say anything more, Flik led her away.

            "Is something the matter, Sempai?" Wakaba asked, but almost immediately, she realized that it was a stupid question. _Obviously, something is wrong, Wakaba no baka, otherwise, she wouldn't be so down…_

But Nanami just smiled kindly and shook her head. "I hope your team wins, Wakaba-chan, Tengaar-neechan."

            "Thanks," Wakaba said.

            Soon enough, Millie and Meg came. Millie gave them a smile that was meant to be reassuring. Meg shook her head and said. "Don't worry, we'll win."

            "Let me explain the rules for the tallying once more." Rina said. "Yellow and pink eggs count as one egg each. Peach and purple eggs count as three eggs each. Green and blue eggs count as seven eggs each. And the golden egg counts as fifty eggs each."

            Viktor cleared his throat. "Ahem… um…" Leona gave him a thumbs-up sign. Viktor continued. "In the third place with a total of sixty four eggs is the 'Blue Lightning Team'!! Way to go, Flik!!"

            "We did it!!" Nina squealed in glee, pulling Flik up front to receive their chocolate eggs and 1000 potch.

            "In the first place, with a total of one hundred forty nine eggs—and only a lead of seven eggs…" Viktor whistled. "'The Pretty Boys'!! And 'The Pretty Girls' are in second place with one hundred forty two eggs!!"

            "ALRIGHT!!" Futch and Sasuke high-fived each other. Hix gave a faint smile and Luc simply nodded his head. Viktor handed them their prizes.

            "Here you go, girls." Leona deposited a pink bunny plushie and 1000 potch in each of the girls hands. She also returned the box of eggs.

            "Well…" Meg looked at her companions.

            "… You did get second place…" Nanami said.

            "Second place is _never_ enough." Wakaba said in a deceptively calm voice.

            Tengaar shrugged. "Well, who cares it's just a—mff!!" Millie covered Tengaar's mouth before another one of those 'stupid egg hunt comments' make Wakaba blow her top off.

            "If it had been anyone else who got the egg… we would have won." Wakaba said. She was flexing her fingers and glaring down on the ground, a dark look on her face.

            _It's all my fault… this stupid sprain. And that baka ninja boy!! How dare he take MY golden egg!!_

Sasuke sauntered towards her, his companions following. Futch looked like he wanted to stop Sasuke.

            "So you have accepted that we are better, haven't you?"

            Wakaba's slumped shoulders suddenly straightened at Sasuke's remark. She looked up at him blankly, her brown eyes expressionless. Without a word, she left.

            Everyone was quiet for a while.

            "… Something tells me, you're in trouble Sasuke-kun." Hix said.

            "Urusai!!" Sasuke barked.

            Futch took his usual composed, impartial stance. "Well Sasuke-kun, you did insult her—"

            "Not another word." Sasuke warned.

            Meg scowled and opened her mouth to speak, but Futch placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.

            Luc shook his head, muttering something about immaturity; sexual tension and a hundred and one ways a martial artist can kill a ninja.

            Millie had been staring at the boxes of eggs. Holding up a pastel pink egg, she looked up at Luc and asked, "Do you want an omelet?"

            Luc blinked, then stared at her incredulously.

            Millie turned to the others. "Omelet, anyone?"

**Author's Notes again: Tsk, tsk. So what will Sasuke-kun do now? What will Wakaba-chan do to him? Does Luc want an omelet? [O_o] Find out in the next chapter!!**


	14. Chapter 12: Definitely Not A BoardCheste...

**Author's Notes: **Next is a Sasuke/Wakaba chapter. C'mon admit it—there are fans of this couple among you!!

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mind. Of course I long for it… seeing as how cute Luc/Millie and Sasuke/Wakaba and Futch/Meg and Hix/Tengaar and a lot of other stuffies in it are!!**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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****

**Chapter 12: Definitely Not A Board-Chested Tomboy**

            "Just leave me alone." Came a familiar voice from outside the sliding glass doors of the terrace.

            _A familiar, annoying, know-it-all voice. _Wakaba's eyes narrowed. She ignored it and went back to staring at the mountains. Not many people know it, but the view from the laundry area was breath taking. _Not to mention the fresh air laced with the scent of grass, the fresh green blades tickling the feet, and—_

            "It's none of your business!!" Came that voice again, louder this time. Wakaba fell from the boulder she was sitting on in surprise.

            "Itai!!" She whimpered. _Why that baka!!_

Other voices talked, but in much softer tones that Wakaba couldn't understand them.

As luck would have it, the one person she really didn't want to see just had to _follow_ her all the way to the laundry area. _So much for peace…_

The voices came nearer, now they were standing right outside the laundry area.

            "Well, see here," Wakaba heard another familiar voice say. _It's Futch._ Despite herself, Wakaba listened. "You should at least try."

            "She's not going to listen to an apology, Futch." The ninja's voice grumbled.

            "I wouldn't be the least bit psyched either, if I got my ankle sprained and somebody rubbed in my face that he got something that I wanted because I fell behind." Piped up a feminine voice. _And Meg-chan…_

            "RIGHT-RIGHT." Gadget said in an unusual show of loyalty.

            "And who gave you the permission to butt in?" Sasuke spat spitefully, presumably at both girl and clockwork barrel.

            "Hey!! She's my friend and I—"

            "You are not involved." Sasuke cut in. "Go away. Tell her to go away."

            There was a pause. And then Futch could be heard saying, "Umm, Meg…"

            "Nevermind, I'm leaving!!' Meg cried, sounding pissed. The heels of her green boots clacked loudly on the stone floor.

            "Well, what are you waiting for?" 

            The sound of the doors sliding open caused Wakaba to turn.

Sasuke stumbled in the laundry area, a dark frown on his face. Futch gave him another push and then the dragonknight slid the doors close.

For a while, ninja and martial artist stared at each other. Or rather, glared.

Sasuke took a step forward. "Ah… umm… eeto…"

"What?" Wakaba snapped. _An apology, huh? Well don't expect me to make things easy for you!!_

Sasuke's long fingers played with the ends of the blue scarf tied around his neck. He cleared his throat and tried again. "What I was saying… err… I'm…"

Wakaba placed her hands on her hips. "Just spit it out already."

Sasuke's mouth dropped open in indignation. Straightening himself, he sputtered, "Too bad you lost." _Oops!! It wasn't supposed to go like that._

Wakaba's eyes narrowed to slits and her mouth was set in a thin line. _Why that arrogant, cocky, bastard—_

She hopped down from the rock. However, her left ankle gave way and she fell most ungracefully on her butt. For some reason, she had managed to walk all the way to the laundry area. It seems she would not be able to walk away from it however.

Wakaba suppressed a howl of frustration and struggled to get up. Sasuke kneeled beside her. With an expert tug, the sash around his waist loosened and he pulled it off.

He reached up his head and removed the sash underneath his headband.

He removed a few other pieces of cloth from various parts of his costume; from around his ankles, below his thighs. Wakaba watched him curiously.

Sasuke grasped Wakaba's left leg, just above her knee. She gave out a little scream and kicked him upside the head with her right foot.

Lucky he was a ninja and managed to deflect most of the blow. "Do ahou!! What do you think you're doing??!"

"What do YOU think you're doing?!!" Wakaba yelled. "Don't touch me."

"Baka. I was trying to help you." Sasuke reached for her left leg again, but Wakaba kicked out her right leg.

"Do you want to remain in pain??" Sasuke asked exasperatedly.

"...?" Wakaba fixed him an inquiring look. "You can relieve it?"

Sasuke sighed and held her left leg. This time, she did not kick him, although she looked at him warily still.

His hands were cold and shaking. Wakaba noticed that he did not use any more pressure than he had to. As a matter of fact, he held her leg carefully, almost as if he shouldn't be touching it.

Sasuke straightened her leg on the ground. "This would hurt at first."

"I thought it would help the pain??" Wakaba cried.

"Baka. I'd have to pull your foot back to its normal position first, and that would hurt." Sasuke said impatiently. He grasped her left foot with both hands and without a warning, yanked at it.

"OUCH!!" Wakaba kicked out her right leg, but Sasuke anticipated it and raised his arm to deflect the blow.

Wakaba yelled at him. "You baka!! That hurt!! You—"

She stopped and looked at her left ankle. It was still swollen but at least it was not stuck out in a weird angle anymore. It did not hurt as much either.

"Wow." Wakaba pushed herself on her feet and was about to test her weight on her left ankle, but Sasuke pushed her on the boulder.

"Hey!!" Wakaba cried.

"You can't stand on it yet, or it's never going to heal." Sasuke scolded. "Just sit there…" Sasuke kneeled by her feet and took the pieces of cloth he gathered. He straightened some of them, folded a couple of others. He started wrapping her ankle.

_His hands are so cold. _Wakaba bit her lip. _They actually soothe the throbbing though. How can he tie those sashes straight when his hands are so unsteady?.._

"Hey… I'm sorry for making you angry."

_Did he just… apologize? _Wakaba felt her cheeks turning red. _What do I say? _She looked down at him. He did not seem to be expecting anything so she remained silent.__

He looked up at her. Seeing that she was staring at him, he looked down immediately. He wound the cloth faster now. "Don't worry, it will be done soon."

Wakaba simply nodded.

"There." Sasuke tied the last knot. "That will have to do until I take you to Doctor Huan." He dusted his knees and sat on the boulder beside her.

_You… take me? _Wakaba managed to act as if was not anything out of the ordinary. "Ne, Sasuke-kun? I'm sorry too. It's not your fault."

"Huh?" Sasuke's eyebrows arched up in puzzlement.

"It's just… many things… that made me angry." Wakaba explained.

"So…" Sasuke scratched his head. "I had nothing to do with it?"

"Hey!! Don't wash your hands clean of it!!" Wakaba said irritatedly. "Of course you did something too."

Sasuke prudently chose not to reply. "………"

"But it' s a lot of other things too…" Wakaba turned her gaze to the mountains, a wistful smile on her face. "I guess the egg hunt made me remember…"

"Funny how a silly egg hunt can do that." Sasuke said in an off-hand manner.

"That's easy for you to say!!" Wakaba cried.

"What did I do wrong now?!" Sasuke raised his voice as well.

"Don't call it silly!!"

"Don't get so worked up over it!!"

"It's because you're so insensitive!!"

Sasuke blinked. The last word was not a part of his everyday vocabulary. He chose to ignore the statement and change tack. "I seem to remember trying to make up with you."

"… Me too." Wakaba said.

"So can you stop arguing with me?" Sasuke asked exaperatedly.

"I wasn't arguing with you, you were arguing with me!!"

"No I wasn't, you're the one who's always jumping at anything I say!!"  
  
            "That's because you keep jumping at anything I say!!"

They both stopped yelling.

"Let's not argue." Sasuke proposed.

"Right." Wakaba agreed. Her hands fiddled with the hem of her orange gi. "Ne, Sasuke-kun… I'm sorry for taking out my frustrations at you."

"………"

"You're lucky you know… having the other ninjas trust you enough to send you here to the Alliance Army."

Sasuke grunted. "I didn't want to go to this stupid army anyway."

Wakaba bristled. "That's some nerve you got, insulting the people who treated you as a friend."

"You're right, you're right." Sasuke said submissively. "Didn't we just promise not to argue?"

"We didn't promise, we agreed."

"Whatever."

"Right." Wakaba rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, you're lucky."

Sasuke would beg to differ but kept his mouth shut anyway. "………"

"You must be from a good clan, right?"

Deciding that two statements without a remark would put him in her bad books again, Sasuke said in a non-committal way, "I guess so."

"And you're the only child?" Wakaba prodded.

"… That's what they say."

"Figures." She sighed. "Good for you. Nothing like how it is with me. My eldest sister is _perfect_, my older brother is the most handsome boy in the village and my little brother is the favorite."

Sasuke listened, so as not to be disagreeable, than out of any desire to do so. "………"

"I was never anything but average," Wakaba continued glumly. "That's why, I always try hard and do my best in anything I do… hoping I will succeed at _something_…"

"So that's why you bust up unoffending jigsaw puzzles that just happen to stump you from finishing them." Sasuke snickered.

Wakaba turned red. "Are you spying on me??"

Sasuke huffed and said. "You're going off-topic."

Wakaba eyed him suspiciously, but continued anyway. "When I found karate… it was something that only I was good at. Of course, I still want to be the best at anything."

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "You might think it's stupid, to get so worked up at so little a thing such as an egg hunt. But if you've been overlooked all your life…"

Sasuke was just staring at the mountains, his face placid and showing no reaction. Wakaba did not notice the way his hands clutched at handfuls of grass, crushing the plant with his grip.

She was annoyed. "Of course I don't expect you to understand. I may not know much about ninjas, but you must have a nice life, being the _great_ ninja that you are—"

"You think you're the only one?"

Wakaba's breath hitched. His voice was so soft and low that she was not even sure if he really talked. His back was stiff and his now-muddy hands balled into fists. He turned to her with hardened onyx eyes.

"Sasuke-kun…"

"My parents don't even care enough about me to raise me."

Wakaba's eyebrows turned down and so did the corners of her eyes. _You're so stupid, girl…_

"I never knew them." The ninja continued in his dangerously soft voice. "I was passed among the attendants of Hanzo-sama. Apparently, they are of too high a rank to claim me as a son."

Sasuke punched the boulder with his left fist. Wakaba winced. The ninja composedly placed his hands on his lap. His left hand's knuckles were bleeding and bits of dirt stuck on it. He paid it no mind, however, as he continued talking.

"They'll never reveal themselves… perhaps until the day I become as important as them."

Wakaba gingerly held his left hand. He flinched, but made no move to shake her off.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I didn't know it was like that—"

"So don't act like you know what kind of life I've led. Don't act like the world is against you." Sasuke snapped.

He expected her to yell another angry retort.

"I won't." Wakaba said sincerely.

"………" He certainly did not expect that. The silence he normally reveled in had turned oppressive.

"I believe you'll surpass him. Your father." Wakaba said. Coming from the obsessive-compulsive competitor of a martial artist, the comment meant a lot.

"Thanks…"

Silence hung in the air once again, but it was more comfortable this time.

"Wakaba-chan… I think you're anything but average."

"Do you mean that?" Wakaba leaned forward and looked him straight in the eyes.

He could have sworn her brown eyes were sparkling. He swallowed the uncomfortable lump in his throat. "Of course I mean it—geez." 

He hung his head down to hide his blush. "You do better than them, the other girls. You're stronger and faster and you look good—uh, you look like you can take good care of yourself, I mean." He finished lamely.

Wakaba clapped her hands delightedly. "That's so nice of you, Sasuke-kun… HEY!! Does that mean you think I'm like a boy??!"

Sasuke groaned exasperatedly. "I do not!!"

"Yes you do!!" Wakaba stuck out her lower lip belligerently. "You always call me a tomboy."

"Fine, fine." He held out his hands and said in a placating tone, "I do not think you are a board-chested tomboy."

Wakaba smiled. "That's good… HEY!! Pervert!!" She punched him in the jaw and he fell of the boulder.

"Ow!!" Sasuke held a hand against his jaw. "What are you talking about??"

"You've been staring at my chest!!" Wakaba yelled.

"I have not!!" Sasuke cried.

"PERVERT!!"

"Ouch!!"

**Author's Notes again: **Nah, don't worry about them, they're fine now. =P I've been wanting to write a bit more about this couple. Would anyone be interested in a multi-chapter Sasuke/Wakaba fic, which would take place after Suikoden 2?****


	15. Chapter 13: Alone In A Crowd

**Author's Notes: **Wow, another update in the same day!! =)I take it you've read the previous chapter? I'll ask again, is anyone interested in a Sasuke/Wakaba fic? [Yeah, yeah, I'm getting pushy here, since I really want an excuse to write about them XD] This chapter will be pretty short. It seems that our favorite boys and girls are getting uncomfy…

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Chapter 13: Alone In A Crowd**

"I hope it goes well," Millie said to no one in particular.

Meg shrugged. She looked around the packed tavern and raised a hand. "Meilin-san!!" The trickster girl cried over the din. The waitress looked at Meg and held up her hand, indicating that she will be coming.

            Futch looked up from feeding Bright a bread stick. "I'm sure it will," he assured Millie.

            "What?" Millie asked, raising her voice so that it could be heard over the chatter.

            "I'm sure it will be fine," Futch repeated, a little louder this time. "Sasuke won't leave the laundry area until they have settled their differences. He beamed at the group around him. "Well, what do you think we should have for lunch?"

            Only Rikimaru's guffaw to Amada's joke at the next table met his inquiry. For their part, his companions were silent. With much effort, he suppressed a sigh of despair and managed to keep smiling. "Come on you guys, I thought we were going to the restaurant?"

            The soft _pit-pat_ of the waitress' slippers announced her arrival. "What will you be having?"

            "Cherry liquor." Meg said without hesitation.

            "Uh, Meg-san, you are only sixteen…" Meilin's voice trailed off.

            "It's for Onee-chan. Right?" Meg poked Tengaar's arm.

            "Huh? Yes." Tengaar nodded distractedly.

            "Okay…" Meilin scribbled it on her notepad. Then she prompted, "What else?"

            "Iced coffee." Meg said. "For me, you understand."

            "Fine, we'll stay here. I'll have a cola drink." Futch said in a resigned voice. He poked Bright in the eye when the little white dragon bit his finger. "And a dish of milk for Bright."

            "A mug of ale," Hix muttered.

            Tengaar's head snapped up. "Since when did you start drinking?!" Hix did not acknowledge the question and defiantly kept his gaze trained away from her. "Nevermind." The redhead huffed.

            "Umm… is that all?" Meilin asked.

            "Strawberry shake!!" Millie piped up.

            "Nothing for me." Luc pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. "I'll be going now."

            "Oh, Luc, wait…" Millie reached into her pocket. "Huh? That's odd…" She opens her satchel and peers inside.

            "… What?" Luc mumbled.

            "Oh… nothing… I'll see you." Millie gave him a quick wave. The mage started walking away and Millie emptied the contents of her satchel unto the table.

            "Would that be all?" Meilin asked politely.

            "Yes," Meg nodded.

            Millie scrutinized the objects on the table. "Oh no, not here either." She collected them back inside the satchel. "How about you, Bonaparte?" She picked up her protesting pet by its rear legs and shook it.

            "You don't have it?" Millie let the groundhog go and it fell with a _plop_ on the table. It hissed at her, but Millie did not notice.

            "I gotta go… look for something. See you guys later!!" Millie waved at them then dashed towards the door leading outside, to the castle grounds. "Bonaparte, hurry up!!" The groundhog ran out the door its mistress held open and then the girl too went through the door and closed it.

            "So…" Meg looked at her companions. 

            Futch took another breadstick and held it to Bright's mouth. The dragon pushed it away. "Don't be stubborn, you have to eat." Futch pushed it inside the dragon's mouth.

            Meanwhile, Hix had taken to polishing his sword with his hanky. Tengaar looked as if she wanted to say something about this but kept her mouth shut. Instead, she unbraided one side of her hair. She ran her fingers through it and then rebraided it.

"Hello, you guys…" Meg called in a singsong voice. "Some company you make."

            "Did you say something?" Futch asked. "I couldn't hear you very well over the noise." He gestured to the noisy tables surrounding them, with the breadstick that had Bright's drool all over it.

            Meg wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No, it was nothing."

            Futch went back to force-feeding his dragon.

            With nothing left to do, Meg allowed her eyes to wander around the tavern, and her ears to pick up conversation from the neighboring tables. A particular voice caught her attention.

            "Lady Valeria, I'm really sorry." Came the very sweet voice of the former Captain of the Matilda Red Knights.

            Meg sneaked a glance over her shoulder. General Valeria sat with both her arms and her legs crossed. Her narrowed eyes were upon Camus who had an apologetic look on his face. Clearly, it was the face that won many a lady's heart. And clearly, Valeria did not fall into the category, 'many a lady' if her reaction to the knight was any indication.

            Of course she remained gracious, yet cold. "As I have said, it's perfectly fine." Said the lady with a dismissive toss of her auburn hair. _The man is in trouble. _Meg had her left thumb up at her mouth and was chewing the cuticle.

            "You say that," Camus cocked his head, presumably to better present his best angle at Valeria. Meg's view was not that bad either. Actually, her view was not bad—at all—not by any stretch of the imagination. "But the tone of your words tell me otherwise."

            Valeria sighed. "What is not good is how you keep hounding me. I have nothing more to say to you."

            "Here are your orders." Meilin said.

            "Sssh!!" Meg shushed her. The waitress looked surprised but quietly placed the drinks on the table and left quickly. Valeria and Camus were still exchanging words. Millie took a sip of the cherry liquor. Tengaar would not drink it after all.

            "But I feel as if I have wounded thy person!!" Camus crooned. "Your emotional being you understand."

            Valeria giggled, actually sounding amused. "Don't worry about me Camus, I had fun at today's event. I… I've never done an egg hunt before."

            There was a pause. It seemed that Camus is actually thinking about what he was going to say next. "Well, milady, I wonder why."

            "As a child I had to work. I didn't come from a well-to-do family. It was only by my hard work at improving my fencing skills that I've come this far." Valeria replied in a frank tone. She said it simply, with no trace of embarrassment or pride.

            "………" Then Camus could be heard clearing his throat. "Camus is awed. Lady Valeria is a self-made man—or rather, lady. That is indeed admirable."

            "Don't refer to yourself in the third person!" Valeria chuckled. "It makes you sound like a child." Camus laughed as well.

            _Well, that went well. _Meg was surprised. There were not a lot of ladies that could resist Sir Camus' charms, but Lady Valeria happened to be one of those ladies. Luck seemed to be on his side.

            _At least they're getting along. Which I can't say for this group. _Meg eyed her companions, feeling quite distressed now. Futch was still busy with the breadsticks, who knows how many Bright was forced to ingest. Tengaar's hair only looked messier and Hix's hanky was now dirty. His sword still looked the same, however.

            _How I can be surrounded by three friends and a roomful of people and still manage to be alone is beyond me._

Before her thoughts get any more depressing however, Wakaba's voice rang in the air.

            "Meg-chan!! Did you get orange juice for me?"

            "Oh no, I didn't. Sorry." Meg told the martial artist. Wakaba had one of her arms around Sasuke who helped her along. The ninja pulled out a seat for her and Wakaba sat, Sasuke pulling an empty chair from a nearby table and sitting beside her.

            "We would have come earlier," Sasuke said. "But we dropped by Huan-sensei's to get her foot checked."

            "What did he say?" Tengaar asked, the addition of two other people jolting her out of her reverie.

            "Oh, it will be fine in a week or so." Wakaba said. "Sasuke straightened it out anyway with some ninja technique. The soreness will go away eventually."

            "What are you sitting here for?" Sasuke demanded. "Let's go to the restaurant and eat."

            "Exactly what I was saying." Futch remarked wryly.

**Author's Notes again: **Go on to the next chapter. =) But not before you hit that button and submit a review. =)


	16. Chapter 14: Enough I Said! And Remove Th...

**Author's Notes: **I was going to do a Flik/Nina centric chapter but I got lazy. Besides, I'm the only one who likes that pairing anyway. One day I'll write about them of course. And now in this chapter… where did Millie go off to?

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Chapter 14: Enough I Said!! And Remove Those Leaves From Your Hair…**

            "She's late."

            Meg drummed her fingernails against her table. Every first beat, her left heel would _click_ on the stone floor. Every fourth and fifth beat, it would _click_ on the floor again.

            _Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock…_

            Meg glanced at the antique copper clock in front of her. Six fifty-two. Millie should have arrived fifty-two minutes ago. Everyday, they would meet in their quarters at precisely six o'clock, and then go to the restaurant for dinner. It wasn't unusual for the younger girl to be late, but it was unusual that she would be _this_ late…

            Six fifty-three. Meg stole a glance at the messy table beside her own. When they first occupied the room, everything looked alike; the beds, the closets, the desks. But Millie's desk eventually accumulated 'cute things' and now, it looked more like a floating mound of junk than a desk. Millie would often complain how Meg's desk looks so much nicer and Meg would retort, saying Millie had better clean her desk.

Millie _does_ clean it regularly, dumping all of the things on the floor and then arranging them in stacks on her desk, some on the bookshelf built into the wall on top of the desk, and some in the drawers of her closet. But somehow, she managed to accumulate more stuff and get it cluttered again.

            Six fifty-four. Meg stood up and walked over Millie's desk. She removed the books and placed them on the shelf overhead. She sifted through the pile of stuff until she found Millie's clock, a darling little thing made in porcelain and painted with stars and clouds. The time on it was _seven nine. _Meg adjusted it to the right time. Silly Millie, she'd always set her clock in advance and then take time for granted so that she'd be late anyway. Maybe that's why she's late tonight.

            Six fifty-five. Of course Millie being late had nothing to do with her clock. She didn't even have it!! Meg blew at her bangs. She twirled on her heels and then threw herself on her bed. She hugged the pink bunny plushie she just got from the egg hunt. Millie's own pink bunny plushie laid on her bed, neglected…

_            Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock…_

Meg pulled herself to her feet. She threw her pink bunny plushie on her bed, where it bounced and landed on the floor. Without waiting for her clock to indicate _six fifty-six_, she strode toward the door purposefully and pulled it open.

            "MEG, WAIT, WAIT." Gadget called. Meg paid no attention to it however and Gadget was forced to put its body between the door and the doorframe before it could close. Then it followed Meg.

            "What is keeping her?" Meg wondered aloud.

            "THE NORTHERN STAR." Gadget answered. "SHE HAD DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS MISSING AND WENT TO LOOK FOR IT."

            "Of course!!" Meg snapped her fingers. "So she must be out in the Castle Grounds all this time. Let's look for her, Gadget."

            Meg walked down the west wing corridor until she reached the main hall. She was about to go down one of the two flights of steps that led to the Stone Tablet of Promise when she saw Futch and Luc emerge from the opposite wing.

            "Hey, you guys!!" Meg called. She rushed towards them. "Have you seen Millie?"

            "No we didn't." Futch replied. "We just got back from Hai Yo's and she wasn't there."

            "Of course she wasn't," Meg said, feeling irritated at him, although she really did not have the right to feel so. "We were supposed to meet for dinner about an hour ago, but she still hadn't appeared."

            "Well, she must be around here, somewhere." Futch said, stating the obvious.

            "She's out in the castle grounds, looking for—" Meg remembered and then she pointed at Luc. "Your crystal, the Northern Light—"

            "Northern Star," Luc corrected automatically.

            "What-EVER." Meg rolled her eyes. "She's looking for it…" Meg bit her lip. "Don't be mad at her. She's trying to look for it, really. She'll return it to you, I promise."

            "The Northern Star?" Futch had a confused frown on his face. He turned to Luc. "But I thought—"

            Luc gave Futch a warning look that Meg did not notice.

            "You thought what Futch?" Meg prompted.

            "Oh, I was just saying…" Futch stammered. "Uh… Luc really needs it, so… she better find it…"

            Meg slapped her cheeks lightly. "Oh dear. Well, don't worry, it will be found. But just… not now. She's been out all the day and she needs to eat."

            "Right." Luc nodded. "Why don't you go ahead and look for her? Futch and I will follow you."

            "Oh really? Thanks!!" Meg looked relieved. She ran towards the stairs.

            "WAIT!!" Gadget called, but Meg hopped down two steps at a time. She ran steadily down the hallway, never noticing that Gadget had fallen and now rolled on his side beside the stairs.

            "Luc, why didn't you tell Meg that you had the rune already?" Futch asked as they walked down the stairs then stepped over Gadget then proceeded down the hall.

            "W-well… it's because Millie needed to learn a lesson," Luc lied. "She's always like that, taking things for granted. She needs to see that she's going to have to take care of things and take responsibility for her actions."

            "But still…" Futch looked doubtful.

            "Besides, Meg will be so angry at me." Luc said. "She's going to say I've let her friend stay out all day, and that I'm playing some sick joke and that…"

            "Well, aren't you?" Futch muttered.

            "What?"

            "Nothing."

            "And then Millie will be angry and she'll say, 'You're so mean!'" Luc swallowed a lump in his throat. They reached the main door and Luc pushed it open. "Anyway, let's just find her, and bring her back and tell her to stop looking for the stupid crystal."

            "Okay."

            "Go with Meg to that side," Luc pointed to the silhouette of the trickster girl, the bright colors of her costume still visible despite the darkness. "I'll go to the west side."

            Futch jogged towards Meg. Luc started walked across the stone path to the Castle lawn. With a wave of the Wind Rod, its end lit up with a magical white light. He used it as a torch and continued walking, telling his mind to look for someone female and blue, probably with a yellow monster in tow.

            He raised his staff. The light hardly helped, but it was better than walking in the inky blackness. The trees were mere outlines, darker shadows in the midnight blue sky. They loomed over the lawn, making it seem that the vegetation was thicker than it actually was.

            He supposed he should call out to her. "Millie. Millie. Millie." The trickster girl would laugh if she heard his pathetic excuse for a shout. Who would have known it would ever prove useful to take cues from the big-mouthed redhead Hix was so enamored with?

            "Millie! Millie!" Luc called in a more powerful voice now. He peered at the trees. Nothing. No movement, no presence. He decided to continue westward.

            He was nearing the end of the front lawn, calling out "Millie!! MILLIE!!" when finally he heard her voice.

            "Who's there?"

            "It's Luc." He pointed his staff where the voice was coming from. "Come over here."

            He felt her hesitate. Then he heard the rustle of her movements. He heard the shuffling of her feet and then the light reached her. He could just make out her drawn eyebrows, her downcast eyes and the stuck out lower lip. She halted.

            "I lost your crystal. I'm sorry." She sounded very worried.

            "Come here," Luc told her, his voice even and betraying no emotion.

            Millie meekly followed, shuffling towards him, tweedling her thumbs. She peered at him through her thick dark lashes, looking very apologetic indeed. Luc saw leaves and bits of grass stuck to her long brown hair. He reached up and picked the leaf of her hair. He brushed away the grass as well, before noting her flushed cheeks and then remembering himself.

            "You're a mess. Fix yourself."

            Millie self-consciously ran her fingers through her hair, removing the most obvious of leaves and blades of grass. Then she delicately brushed her skirt with her hands.

            Then she looked at him. "Luc, I'm really—"

            "Nevermind." He said.

            "But—"

            "I said, nevermind. Don't look for it anymore." Luc insisted.

            "I'm really sorry." Millie whispered, her lips trembling. Her brown eyes were shining and moisture was collecting at her lower lashes. Luc turned away, unable to stand the sight.

            "I said it's okay. That's that." He clasped her wrist and pulled her towards the stone path. "Let's get you back to the castle. Futch and Meg have been looking for you too. Don't just disappear like that next time. You'll cause trouble for other people."

            He could hear her sniffing and he need not turn back to know that she was crying. He led her down the stone path toward the main entrance.

            Futch and Meg were sitting on the stone pavement just beside the door. "I still think we should go to the west lawn," Meg said.

            "If Millie is there, which she would be since we didn't find her in the eastern lawn, Luc will find her." Futch pointed out. "If we just attempt to look for her there as well, we might even miss the two of them."

            Luc cleared his throat. "Found her." He said laconically.

            The dragonknight and the trickster turned. "Millie!" Meg cried in glee. "Don't do that again!! I thought you were just late for dinner until Gadget reminded me—oh anyway, did you find it?"

            Millie shook her head dejectedly. Meg patted her shoulder. "That's okay, Millie, I'll help you find it."

            "No." Luc interjected. "Don't go looking for it again."

            Meg had a perplexed frown on her face. "But Futch said you needed it—"

            "No, I don't." Luc glared at Futch.

            Futch practically withered under the sharp green eyes. "Did I say that? My bad, certainly it's not true though."

            "Let's go back inside." Luc told him. The dragonknight nodded and followed the mage.

            Luc glanced at Millie over his shoulder. "You go down to Hai Yo's to eat… And you too Meg."

            The two girls watched the two boys leave and then turned to each other. "Well Millie, it's not so bad after all, Luc got you off the hook." Meg grinned.

            Millie shook her head. "I have to find it Meg."

            "What? But he just said—"

            "I don't want him to hate me!!" Millie sobbed.

            "Hey… don't cry." Meg rubbed her back reassuringly. "He doesn't hate you."

            "You should have seen how he looked at me, when I told him I lost it!!" Millie sniffled. "Or rather, how he did not even look at me. He was so angry, I know it!!"

            "That's not true." Meg shook her head. "If he hated you or was angry at you, he would say so. But he just told you it was okay and not to worry about it anymore. That's it." Meg took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Now, what we both need to do is eat. I'm starving." She pushed open the door with her other hand and led Millie inside the castle.

            Millie looked back at the castle grounds as the door shut behind her. _I'll look for it tomorrow._

**Author's Notes again: **Uh-oh, Millie means business!! She won't stop until she has that Northern Star again, and returns it to Luc!! Shouldn't Luc just say he has it to get the trouble over with? And what's with Futch, wasn't he a nice guy? Don't live a lie, pretty boys, even one as simple as that!!


	17. Chapter 15: Friendly Friends?

**Author's Notes: **Hey!! ^-^ A day after the Easter Egg Hunt, but the issues related to it haven't been resolved yet. It's about time that they reach a conclusion though!! Futch/Meg chapter here!! Rather, in the later part of this chapter. This will be a pretty long chapter. But it's not like you can ever have too much of Futch/Meg, eh? =)

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Chapter 15: Friendly Friends?**

            "Where are Hix-niichan and the others?" Meg asked, taking a seat beside Tengaar.

            "There." The redhead made a careless gesture, pointing to the group arranged round a table in the other end of Hai Yo's busy restaurant.

            "A super-deluxe feast for us!!" Futch exclaimed over the clatter of cutlery, the slurping of soup and chatter that prevailed in the atmosphere.

            "And please hurry up!!" Sasuke waved the meal ticket they won from the Egg Hunt.

            "Okay!!" The waitress had a few stray hairs that escaped from her bun hanging down her face and her clothes were rumpled. She didn't notice, or didn't care, however and only nodded and skipped towards the kitchens, her soft shoes emitting a _squeak _with each step.

            "Sasuke-kun, it's lunch time, they're busy, don't harass them." Hix said sternly. Luc only grunted.

            Wakaba shook her head.  The older girl's solemn mood made a vivid contrast with the cheery crowd that invaded the number one [and only] restaurant in North Window Castle. "They still haven't made up yet. And the boys wanted to eat their prize." She muttered something under her breath that sounded very much like, _pigs._

            "Why haven't you made up yet, Onee-chan?" Meg leaned forward, peering into Tengaar's face. Tengaar let out a _hrmph _and looked away.

            "Nevermind that. Where's Millie?" Tengaar asked.

            "She wasn't in our room when I woke up…" Meg scratched her head. "She left a note saying she'll join us for lunch, though."

            "SHE WENT OUT IN THE GROUNDS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. SEARCHED FOR THE NORTHERN STAR." Gadget informed them.

            "What??!" Meg wailed. "After she had been explicitly not to do so?

            "What thing?" Wakaba asked. Tengaar looked confused as well.

"Anyway, we have to look for her." Meg declared, ignoring the questioning looks her friends gave her. "Maybe they saw her?" She hurriedly got on her feet, knocking her chair on the floor.

            "Oh… wait for me!!" Tengaar fell in step behind Meg. Gadget's wheels whirred and it followed the trickster as well.

            "You guys are no fair!!" Wakaba whined. She awkwardly pushed on the table with her hands and managed to get on her feet.

            Meg weaved through the tables, nearly knocking several people over. Tengaar stayed close behind Meg, leaving Wakaba to hobble after the two of them.

            "Hello!!!" Meg greeted the boys with a sunny smile.

            "Hello Meg-chan." Futch gave her a wave.

            "What are you doing here, you're not getting any food," Sasuke muttered. "Ouch!! Onii-chan no baka!!"

            "Don't be so rude." Hix boxed his ears again.

            "We wouldn't want to eat with pigs like you." Wakaba had caught up with them and now stuck out her tongue at Sasuke. "We just wanted to ask you if you've seen Millie."

            Sasuke's face turned thoughtful. "I did see her this morning, during my morning jog. Out in the grounds. She said she was looking for… this something."

            Luc perked up at this. "???"

            "THE NORTHERN STAR." Gadget said.

            "She went to look for that Northern Star…" Meg tapped her cheek with her finger, her brow furrowed in thought.

            "What Northern Star?" Hix asked.

            "It's an important crystal of Luc's, Millie-chan lost it and now she's trying to find it." Futch explained. Luc was glowering at him. A bead of sweat slid down Futch's forehead. "Well of course Luc-kun told her not to look for it anymore, but…"

            Tengaar made clucking noises, sounding like a mother hen. "We have to look for her!! She hasn't even had her breakfast yet."

            "Well, we'll see you guys later!!" Meg winked at the boys.

            "Oh, hold on, I'll help." Futch offered.

            "Me too." Hix said. Luc wordlessly stood up.

            "Well, let's go!!" Sasuke pumped a fist in the air. He squinted at Wakaba-chan and pointed at her. "Except for you, of course."

            Wakaba's jaw dropped in crossness. "But—"

            "Bad sprain." Sasuke reminded her.

            "But—"

            "If you continue being stubborn… I won't help you with that jigsaw puzzle." The ninja threatened.

            "EH??!" Wakaba cried.

            Sasuke nodded smugly. "And I'll hide some of the pieces."

            She gasped. "You wouldn't dare!!"

            "I would and I could. You're staying here." Sasuke made a move to stand up but Futch pushed him back on his seat. "Hey!!"

            "You're right, Sasuke-kun, Wakaba-chan should definitely stay here." Futch grinned. "You keep her company, okay?" He followed Luc who was making a beeline for the exit.

            Sasuke blinked in surprise. "But—"

            "Ja ne!!" Meg raised a hand to her brow in salute. Hix and Tengaar indicated their leaving as well.

            "WAIT, MEG!!" Gadget rolled after the group.

            "Oh yeah, cancel the order, so we can all eat together later!!" Hix called to Sasuke before leaving.

            "But I'm so hungry…" the ninja banged his head on the table.

            "Meg-chan and I can go to the eastern grounds like we did last night," Futch said while walking quickly to keep up with Luc. "Onii-chan and Onee-chan can go to the eastern grounds and Luc-kun—"

            "Don't tell me what to do." Luc said waspishly.

            Futch started, but didn't push it. "Er, okay…"

            "What's his problem?" Meg hissed, but Futch looked at her over his shoulder and made a shushing sound. Meg growled, but kept her mouth shut.

            Once outside the castle grounds, Luc headed straight for the western grounds. Futch motioned at Meg and they headed for the eastern grounds.

            "Millie, Millie!!!" Meg shouted. "Gadget, initialize search mode… Gadget?" Meg looked around. "Strange… where did Gadget go?"

            "It must be somewhere between here and second floor." Futch said. "Probably rolling on the bottom of the steps."

            Meg stamped her foot impatiently. "Useless old thing. Oh nevermind. Millie, Millie!!"

            Futch trailed after the trickster, staring at the back of her yellow and red striped vest. He had made up his mind. "Meg-chan…"

            Meg spun around. "What is it Futch? Hurry up, don't get left behind."

            "Eh… I thought I should tell you…" he looked down at his hands. He removed his tan-colored gloves then put them on again, adjusting them so that there would be no creases. Then he flexed his fingers. "Um…"

            "What?" Meg demanded.

            Futch cleared his throat then fixed his brown-eyed gaze directly upon her hazel oculars. "Luc actually has the Northern Star. He let Millie look for it for a while, to teach her a lesson—"

            "WHAAAT??!" Meg's eyes flashed dangerously.

            "Although of course, he expected her to stop looking for it when he told her to," Futch added quickly.

            The boy watched as the girl's shoulders shook as she took a deep breath. Then she slowly but purposefully walked toward him, each footfall an ominous _click _on the stone path.

            Meg's hands flew up Futch's green scarf and she grasped it tightly, pulling him towards her. "YOUR BASTARD FRIEND DID WHAT??!"

            Futch immediately came to his friend's defense. "Hey! You do have to admit, that Millie can be very careless. Maybe what Luc did wasn't the best way to—"  
  


            "IT WAS THE WORST WAY!!" Meg still yelled at the dragonknight's face and actually shook him a little. "That was some twisted, cruel joke—you don't know how worried Millie was—"

            "Unhand me!!" Futch firmly grabbed her hands and roughly removed them from his scarf.

            "STOP SHOUTING!!"

            "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S SHOUTING!!"

            "BECAUSE YOUR IDIOT MAGE FRIEND IS SO STUPID!!"

            "WELL MAYBE IF YOUR DITZ MAGE FRIEND WASN'T SO SCATTER-BRAINED, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT!!"

            "DON'T CALL HER A DITZ!!"

            "WELL DON'T CALL HIM AN IDIOT!!"

            "Argh!!" Meg spun on her heels and stomped away from him, pulling at her neatly pony tailed hair in frustration. When she turned back at him, several locks of her hair stuck out. Futch carefully ignored this fact.

            Meg crossed the stone path and went out into the lawn. Futch followed her. They resumed searching for Millie, no more words were spoken.

            After a few minutes of the heavy silence, Meg, cracking under the pressure first, broke it. "Hey, are you mad?"

            Futch shook his head. "No. The argument wasn't even about us to begin with."

            Meg was left to stare after him as he went further into the bushes. _Not about us…_

_            Actually…_

_            Nothing is about us…_

_            Everything that I thought we shared… it's always about someone else. Wakaba and Sasuke's arguments. Millie being herself and Luc being unable to be mean to her. Tengaar-neechan and Hix-niichan's mushiness or love quarrels. Bonding before a big battle. Or some random silliness in the castle. These things that amuse us both or give us two something to worry about. What makes us connect. Our friends… or someone else. Always someone else._

_            I don't think… Futch and I are even friends to begin with._

_            If this is true… how sad…But maybe…_

"Ne Futch," Meg sprinted after him. She slowed down and fell in step beside him. "Don't you tire… of us always being the buffer zone?"

            "What?" The dragonknight murmured distractedly. His eyes were skimming the trees ahead.

            Meg didn't waver, however. She just trained her gaze at him continued. "When our friends fight, we fight. When we talk, it's about them. I don't think we even really know each other."

            "What are you getting at?" He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

            "Don't you tire of it?" Meg persisted. She took a step to the left and turned slightly so they were face to face. "How about we have a real talk sometime?"

            Futch seemed to have flinched. He made a side step and moved forward, away from her. "Huh? What are you saying?"

            Meg's eyes narrowed and bore holes through his back. "Nevermind!!"

            But the dragonknight was steadily walking away. He probably didn't even hear her.

            _Boys!! Just when you are being sincere, they'll have to be so dumb about it._

_            ………_

_            Nii-chan isn't like that though, even though he and Nee-chan get into fights half the time._

_            And even Sasuke-kun talks straight sometimes. He even managed to make up with Wakaba-chan._

_            Even Luc manages to speak for himself once in a while!! Even if it's just an insult…_

_            But him…_

By now, the dragonknight had gotten far ahead. _He wouldn't even notice if I had gone._ Meg gave a _hmph_ of righteous anger.

            _Who cares anyway? True, true, the others may find themselves in more fights than usual and would have to sort out things between them—but I'd actually have less problems if I left it alone. _She looked at the retreating form of the dragonknight, her mind coming to a conclusion.

            _Yes, that's it. There's nothing between us._ Meg summoned her usual cheerful face and dashed towards him.

            "Futch!!"

            "Yes, Meg?" Futch turned to him, his dark brows raised in question.

            "You should go back now." Meg said.

            "But what about Millie?"

            "I'll look for her. She's my friend after all."

            "She's my friend too. I'll stay." With that, Futch walked away again.

            Nearing the end of her rope, the trickster fixed her most evil look at the unassuming dragonknight, wishing that looks really _could_ kill. _Great. He's friends with MY friends and we aren't even really friends. Just marvelous. Not even Millie-chan can find a good angle with THAT situation. That is of course, if she were here. Which she isn't, because of that idiot mage friend of the idiot dragonknight._

Meg perused the nearest tree thoughtfully. It had a branch low enough that, if she used a knot on the tree for a foothold, she could reach and climb unto. The queasy feeling associated with heights was forgotten. _From a greater height, I can see across a greater distance. Millie's blue dress should stick out from the vegetation._

Meg hooked her right boot unto the knot, the heel of her fancy footwear proving useful. Keeping what grip she could upon the trunk, she pushed on the ground with her left foot and hoisted herself up. She climbed and reached for the branch. Hugging it, she braced her feet against the trunk and managed to scramble unto the branch.

            "Alright!" Meg cheered for herself. Slowly, she stood on the branch. She looked in all directions as far as her eyes and the leaves of surrounding trees around her, searching for even just a speck of blue. Finding nothing.

            She sighed and proceeded to go down. Except that she did not know how to go down, for what is probably the first time in her life, she had climbed a tree and gotten this far. _Uh-oh…_

Refusing to give in to the panic rising in her throat, the trickster drummed her fingers against the bark—not that it made a good drumming surface—and thought.

"If I keep a tight hold on the tree, stretch down my body straight and just sort of drop unto the ground, then I should be fine, right?" She said it aloud and finding no fault in speech, she squatted, gripped the branch and swung down.

            "Eek!!" She started to squeal, but managed to muffle it pretty quickly. Instead of just hanging down from the branch as she had hoped, her body swung like a pendulum. And not being as stable as she initially thought, the branch even rocked slightly. She closed her eyes before she was tempted to look down and scare herself silly.

            "Meg-chan, where did you go off to?"

            And to top it all off, the dragonknight gets to laugh his head off at her expense. Meg would have kicked herself for her stupidity if it would not cause her to fall off the branch. Is not the day just _peachy…_

            "It will be fine." She muttered to herself. "One-two—"

            Without waiting for three, she released her hold of the branch. Futch yelped in surprise and he would have caught her too, if he had not been too far away. He ran towards the girl who now laid on the ground on her side, rubbing her backside.

            "Ow, ow…" Meg made a face and fought the dizziness to get back on her feet.

            "Are you okay?" Futch asked worriedly, holding her arm to help her. "We don't want you to turn out like Wakaba-chan."

            "You don't have to worry," Meg snapped without thinking. "We're not even friends." She regretted the words as soon as she said it. Futch was startled and dropped her arm. Meg decided to act as if nothing out of the ordinary was said.

            "We haven't been to that area before," Meg gestured at some random direction. "Maybe she's there."

            "Umm, uh…" Futch reached out to her tentatively.

            But Meg ignored him and walked away.

            _Onii-chan once told me not to muddle my words. _"Hey, Meg-chan..?" He threaded between bushes. Meanwhile, she chose to walk right through them.

            _To speak straight because that's what a man is expected to do… _"…Meg-chan?"

            "That idiot mage better apologize to her or else!!" Meg hastened her pace. Futch had to struggle to keep up with her, especially since he was still making it a point not to mangle any bushes along the way.

            _And above all, never act like an ignorant fool to what she is saying or hinting—especially when you know exactly what she means. _"Meg, I don't want to be a buffer zone forever either." Futch stated simply.

            "………"

            "And it really would be nice…" Futch gulped and continued. "It would be nice to spend time together, just the two of us."

            She paused then she pivoted to face him. The expression in her hazel eyes was softer now, if a little bit sad. "I though you didn't like the idea?"

            He shifted on his feet uncomfortably. "Well… uh, I guess when you said boys are stupid… you were right—at least sometimes, they are."

            Meg scuffed the pointy toe of her boot on the ground. "I never said that. My friends might have, but I never did say boys are stupid."

            "I never said girls were dumb either."

            Meg hesitated then extended a hand at him. She smiled bashfully. "Friends?"

            Futch blushed but took her hand and shook it. "Friends."

**Author's Notes again: **No real humor for this chappie… but it had Futch/Meg fuzzies… XD Doesn't that make up for it?


	18. Chapter 16: Reconcilable Differences

**Author's Notes: **Yo!! XD Well, the past two days, I've been busy with affairs concerning the Holy Week so it is only now that I can update. ^________^ My fingers have turned fumbly from not typing for a couple of days!! ^^; This will be a pretty short chapter… very short. ^^; I don't really write Hix/Tengaar well…

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Chapter 16: Reconcilable Differences**

            "We're not going to get anywhere if we just stumble about blindly, hoping to find Millie," Futch declared.

            "So, here's what were going to do. We divide into little groups and divide the grounds amongst us. Once you finish your section, we go back here, at the entrance. Okay? Okay." Meg said.

            There was a murmur of agreement from the small crowd. Riou raised his hand. "Meg, I'll help too."

            "But Riou-dono, should our leader really be bothered like so?" Templton asked.

            "That's right," Meg said. "You don't have to, Riou-dono, I'm sure we'll manage."

            "What kind of leader will I be if I can't be bothered to look after those who chose to follow me? Oh no, I'll help." Riou told them.

            Tomo clasped her hands together and smiled. "Riou-dono, you're so kind!!" Riou blushed.

            "Alright, let's go look for the missing girl and groundhog!!" Futch exclaimed.

            Tengaar and Hix proceeded to the northwestern grounds, keeping a good distance in between them. Tengaar wrung her hands as they walked. Hix felt sorely tempted to warn her that she's going to get arthritis in the future but decided against it.

            Tengaar carried a bento in the rucksack slung over her shoulder. It was for Millie if they see her first. Hix thought it was very sweet of her. Actually, he just thought that Tengaar is a very sweet person. Sure, some people would disagree, having gotten at the wrong end of one of Tengaar's fits of anger. She is normally a nice person, it's just that, her temper gets the better of her sometimes… most of the time… nearly all the time.

            Like the past few days, for instance.

            Right now though, Tengaar did not look remotely angry. Just worried.

            "The poor girl…" Tengaar whined. "All alone and hungry…"

            Hix would point out that Tengaar only had all of four years ahead of Millie if they were on speaking terms. Honestly, the way she talked, you'd think Millie was some invalid!!

            "It's all that Luc's fault," the redhead grumbled.

            Oh now it's the guy's fault. The poor guy who was minding his own business and had a girl borrow his crystal only to lose it. Wisely, Hix kept quiet, even though he would very much like to state a different opinion.

            "Oh my poor baby…" Tengaar wailed.

            _Baby? _Hix resisted the urge to snort. This was too much. "Tengaar, I know you're worried about Millie, but she's not a child."

            Tengaar's eyes flashed as she said spitefully, "I don't expect you to understand, it's not your friend who is lost in the castle grounds."

            "She's not lost," Hix spat. "She just wandered off somewhere and we don't know where that somewhere is. If she wants to, she can easily come back. And inside the castle grounds, what's the worst thing that can happen??"

            Tengaar stamped her foot. "The castle is a part of the woods!! What if Millie wandered off there? She doesn't have a sense of direction, what if she doesn't find her way back? What if a snake bites her?"

            Hix rolled his eyes. "There are no snakes here. Tengaar, you're over-reacting."

            To put it simply, Tengaar lost it. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN OVER-REACTING?? I AM NOT OVER-REACTING!!"

            Hix chose not to reply and just kept walking.

            "THAT POOR LITTLE GIRL IS LOST AND YOU'RE TELLING ME I'M OVER-REACTING ABOUT IT?? AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE AREN'T ANY SNAKES?? I READ IN THE LIBRARY AND THERE ARE PLENTY…"

            Hix tuned her out. However, it got more difficult with each passing moment for Tengaar's voice had just been rising into its peak volume and as far as Hix knew, it could build up indefinitely.

            "Tengaar, the problem with you is you treat people as if they can't do anything by themselves!!"

            "WHAT??" Tengaar yelled.

            "Millie went off by herself and you're going insane over it even though she's just within the grounds." Hix pointed out, clearly at the end of his patience. "When Meg tries to work something on Gadget, you try to stop her because it's 'dangerous' as if you'd know anything about clockwork. You meddle with how I spend _my_ time telling me to train, to help with some random cause or another, to do silly things… I'll spend my own time, thankyou, I'll train at my own pace, I'll find my own cause and I'll do things my way!!"

            "Oh, I suppose you think I'm like an overbearing wife to you." Tengaar muttered acidly.

            "I never said that." Hix said.

            "One you'd definitely like to get away from!" Tengaar cried.

            "I never said that either!" Hix shot back.

            "One who never leaves you alone!!" Tengaar yelled, on the verge of hysteria.

            "Stop! I never said any of these things!!" Hix shouted.

            "But you want to!!" Tengaar accused. "You want to and I'm sorry because… 'cause—I'm such a BAD fiancée!!" She burst into tears.

            "Tengaar!!" Partly, Hix wanted to laugh. For she _did_ voice out things that he thought of once or twice and even said sorry for them, something that Tengaar would not normally do. And he wondered… since when had they been engaged? He had not even asked her to marry him!

            "I can't help it!!" Tengaar sobbed. "I'm sorry!!"

            Hix wrapped his arms around her. "Sssh… Tengaar, it's okay…"

            Tengaar wiped her tears and glared at him. "It's your fault too you know!!"

            Hix startled. "Eh?"

            "You never pay attention to me anymore!!"

            "Huh?"

            Tengaar crossed her arms over her chest. "I mean, if you were training, it's okay, but you just hang out with those boys!!"

            "………"

            "Oh!" Tengaar's eyes widened. "I was apologizing, right?"

            Hix was boggled. "… Is it that time of the month?"

            _KAPOW!!_

            And the redhead stormed away, leaving the man she claimed as her fiancé lying down on the grass, clutching a good-sized lump on his head.

            Tengaar seethed. "How DARE you presume that I'd let something as trivial as my lunar cycle affect my temper… blah, blah, blah…"

            Hix shook his head. "I'll take that as a yes…"

**Author's Notes again: **So, I guess that explains why Tengaar has been so flunky throughout the whole fic, right? ^_~ Just so you people know—PMS, irritability, chocolate cravings and all other phenomenon associated with the dreaded menstrual cycle is real.


	19. Chapter 17: Let It Fill The Space Betwee...

**Author's Notes: **Alright!! Now's my favorite couple coming up!! Stay tuned!!

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine. I'd claim Luc, Millie and Luc/Millie but I don't have the rights…**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Chapter 17: Let It Fill The Space Between**

            "That girl—why does she always cause me trouble?"

            Luc walked briskly across the soft carpet of green grass. In one hand, he held the Northern Star and in the other hand, he held a bento. He was doing this search systematically, covering the ground towards the outer walls, and then towards the castle, and then moving westward. The bento was for the girl of course, she would undoubtedly be famished.

            He could feel her presence. Luc closed his eyes and tried to pinpoint it, blocking away every other familiar presence and focusing on her alone. _There!!_

            He dropped on his knees. Following his instinct, he crawled on the ground, through and under bushes. The vegetation cast a rather dark shadow. He held out the Northern Star and willed its light to intensify so he could see better. He pushed away a sprig of leaves… and there she was.

            Lying on her side, her head resting on her arms. Sleeping. And her monster was beside her, sleeping as well.

            Luc scrambled towards her. She did seem to be in a restful sleep, rather than a state of unconsciousness. He noticed a few very minor abrasions on her arms and legs, and a bruise above her knee, but she didn't appear to be seriously hurt.

            He pocketed the Northern Star and held out his right hand, just above the bruise. "_True Rune of the Wind… Healing Wind…"_

            The wind picked up. A magical air current circulated her body, shooting from his hand, unto her bruise and wrapping around her body. In a matter of seconds, the injuries healed.

            "Millie, wake up." The mage touched her cheek. She winced in her sleep and Luc immediately removed his hand, still burning from recent use of magic. "Wake up, girl."

            Her eyes fluttered open. She squinted at the trees, the bushes, at him. She blinked rapidly and suddenly sat up straight. "Oh my!! I was sleeping!!"

            "Well this doesn't look like your bedroom." Luc said wryly.

            "I must have fallen asleep while looking for—" A hand flew up her mouth. She turned to him with wide brown eyes. "I'm sorry…"

            "Huh?" Luc cocked his head to one side.

            Millie looked down at her hands. "The Northern Star… I still can't find it."

            He frowned at her. "I told you not to worry about it."

            "But it was my fault!!" Millie cried.

            Luc sighed.

_"I had it all the time."_

_"Why didn't you tell me?"_

_"Because…"_

_"Were you making fun of me?"_

_"I…"_

_"You're so mean, Luc…"_

_"………"_

"Luc?"

Her voice jolted him back to reality. "Luc, I'm really sorry…"

"… You must be hungry." He handed her the bento.

"This is… for me?" She took it hesitantly.

"… Yes. You're going to have to eat."

"Thank you." Millie opened it. "Oh!! A green salad!! Shrimp fried rice!! Pudding!!" She made happy little noises as she examined the contents of the box.

"Luc, would you like some?"

"No, I just ate."

"Bonaparte, honey, wake up!! Food!!"

Millie picked at the salad, eating only the lettuce. She left alone the plump tomato slices, which made up a considerable amount of the salad. The onion rings she fed to Bonaparte, who ate them greedily.

"… Won't that make him smell terrible?" Luc asked, truly curious.

Millie shrugged. "He likes them…" She fed it another onion ring.

"………"

"Why don't you have the tomatoes?" Millie asked.

Luc shook his head. "No thanks."

"Eh? But I thought you liked them…"

"Why won't you eat them yourself?"

"I don't like tomatoes."

"Why not?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Millie blew a stray lock of hair off her eyes.

One corner of Luc's mouth twitched as he held back his laughter. "Won't your Tengaar-neechan scold you if you don't finish your food?"

"You won't tell her would you?" Millie gave him puppy dog eyes. "Why don't you just have them?"

"Oh alright, I'll eat them for you." Luc said in mock resignation. Actually, she was right, he _did_ like tomatoes.

"Yay!!" Millie giggled. She speared several tomato slices with her fork and held them at his mouth. "Aaaah!!"

Luc turned away. "I can't eat all that at once."

"C'mon, just bite."

He bit through the tomato slices. They were ripe and juicy. He wondered how she could not like them.

"Aaaah!!"

"I can eat by myself." Luc told her.

Millie pouted. "Fine. You can use the fork." She picked up the spoon and started on the shrimp fried rice. "Would you like some of this?"

"No. I don't like it much."

"Very well." The girl ate the rest of the fried rice with relish. Then she opened the water cup and took a drink.

"You should drink too, Luc, or you'll get dehydrated." She offered him the cup.

"No. I'll have a drink later."

Millie touched her temple with one finger. "You don't like sharing cups do you?"

"I don't mind—" Actually he did mind.

"But I don't have a cough or anything." Millie assured him.

"Well—"

"I don't have bad breath either."

"I'm not worried about that?"

"So, what of it?"

_What of it? _"… Oh what the heck, if you so insist." Luc took the cup and drank.

"Now to my favorite part!!" Millie rubbed her hands in glee and took the cup of pudding. "Umm… do you want any?"

He could tell that she was hoping he'd say no. "No."

"Yes!!" Millie exclaimed. Then she turned red. "I mean, okay."

Luc could not help it. He laughed.

Millie turned redder. She swallowed a mouthful of pudding then said, "It's embarrassing that Luc makes fun of how much I like sweets but it's okay if it makes Luc smile…"

He stopped laughing for he caught his breath. He turned his gaze at her but she had paid her attention to the cup of pudding. Her cheeks were still a very telling shade of crimson.

"Well, that was good!" Millie said as she finished the last of her pudding. She placed everything in the bento and wrapped it up again. She stood up and stretched her limbs. "Now to find the Northern Star…"

"You're still going at it?" Luc mumbled.

"It's Millie's fault that it's gone, so Millie has to find it." She said. "I'll find it I promise." She ducked under another bush.

_"I had the Northern Star all this time."_

_"Why didn't you tell me then?"_

_"………"_

_"You're so mean, Luc…"_

_You're so mean… Luc, you're so mean…_

Luc did not want that. He definitely did not want that.

Luc slid his hand in his pocket and pulled out the Northern Star. Noiselessly, he dropped it in the next bush, to the right of the bush Millie was looking through.

"Not here." Millie moved to the bush to her left. Luc suppressed a groan but kept silent.

"Not there either."

"How about there?" Luc pointed at the bush where he had dropped the Northern Star.

"I think I looked there already," she said, but nevertheless, she walked towards the bush, knelt and pushed aside some of the leaves. "It's here, it really is here!!"

She squealed in delight. She scooped it up carefully, cradling it with both hands. She polished the crystal on her skirt a little and then handed it over to Luc, who had knelt beside her.

"Found it!!" Millie smiled proudly.

"You did." Luc nodded, a genuine smile on his face as well.

"But maybe it was you who found it," Millie frowned worriedly. "You were the one who pointed the bush—"

"No, no, no." Luc shook his head firmly, wanting to avoid further discussion about the whole fiasco. "You found it."

"Okay." Millie clapped her hands together.

There was a smudge of dirt on her cheek. It's a wonder to the boy how she could so effectively muss herself. He reached out a hand and wiped it off. He noticed her cheek was flushed, but it wasn't from the rubbing for her other cheek was flushed as well. He felt his own face grow hot.

"Well…" Luc dropped his hand to his side. He got back on his feet. "Let's go back." He clasped her left hand with his right and held her up.

Millie entwined her fingers with his. Luc startled at the contact.

"I was told that, the reason your fingers have spaces in between is so that somebody else's fingers can fill those spaces, while your fingers fill the spaces between their's as well." Millie held up their entwined hands to show him. She giggled.

Luc nodded wordlessly. He didn't really mind having her fill those spaces. Actually, he really, _really_ didn't mind.

And they walked towards home.

**Author's Notes again: **Whee!! XD Much mush!! Warm fuzzies I love!! XD


	20. Epilogue: Until Next Time

**Author's Notes: **Now, to the closure of this little fic [that became a big fic that I managed to finish in time for this year's Easter nonetheless XD].

**Disclaimer: Suikoden is not mine.**

The Great Easter Egg Hunt 

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**Epilogue: Until Next Time**

            "It's a good thing Hai Yo-san agreed to stretch the feast to accommodate eight people instead of the original four." Hix remarked.

            "Yes dear, it's so generous of him" Tengaar agreed.

            "Who can resist a girl in pain?" Meg winked at Wakaba.

            Futch laughed. "So I reckon sprains do come in handy sometimes. We did get a feast for eight because of Wakaba-chan's pleading."

            "Knowing you guys though, you'll finish most of it." Wakaba snorted.

            "Hey!!" Sasuke managed to say through a mouthful of food. His cheeks actually bulged.

            Wakaba's nose wrinkled in disgust. "I take that back. Knowing Sasuke-kun, he'll finish most of it."

            Sasuke took a gulp of water to help the food go down. "Hey, I'm a growing boy, I need all the nutrients I can get!!" He spied the salmon sushi among the sushi platter. "Hey, Wakaba-chan, these are your favorite, right?" He took one with his chopsticks and placed it on her plate.

            "Eww!!" Wakaba cried. "You touched that with your chopsticks!!"

            "Don't be a priss, just eat it!!" Sasuke growled.

            "I'm not eating anything you picked with your chopsticks!!" Wakaba retorted.

            "Just eat it!!" Sasuke snarled.

            Millie giggled at their bickering. She unwrapped another chocolate egg.

"You're eating your meal backwards." Meg pointed out.

"Hee…" Millie smiled guiltily as she bit into her chocolate egg. Luc snickered.

Futch mused. "So it seemed that everyone got what they wanted after all. Nee-chan and Nii-san have made up. Wakaba-chan gained her pride. Sasuke-kun got to eat. Millie-chan got her chocolate eggs with somebody's help…" He cast a meaningful sidelong glance at Luc who actually blushed refused to look at him. Everyone else snickered.

"Anyway, Luc got the Northern Star. And I—" Futch looked at Meg and faltered. "Umm…" This time, the company snickered at him.

Meg's cheeks were stained red as well. She hid her cheeks by cupping them in her hands, and she rested her elbows on the table. She sighed. "I didn't get my potch though…" Everyone gave her withering looks. Meg held out her hands. "I'm just kidding, geez!!"

Millie waved her hand. "It's alright Meg. Futch is going to use _his_ potch after all to take you on a picnic, right?" Futch and Meg blushed while the group laughed outright.

Except for Hix. "Going on a picnic? Just the two of you? We're not invited? Ow!!" His fiancée's foot connected with his shin.

Meg coughed. She had regained her composure by then. "And just what are you two doing?" She raised Luc and Millie's entwined hands from under the table.

This time Luc and Millie blushed. However Luc cleared his throat and replied. "Filling the spaces in between."

"That's right!!" Millie nodded, smiling sweetly.

The company blinked at the pair.

"What happened to Luc-kun?" Sasuke whispered to Wakaba.

Wakaba shrugged. "Beats me."

Meanwhile, a man-bear sat and a beautiful bartender sat on a table not too far off, speculating. "Oh I know, Leona, let's have a ghost hunt on Halloween!!"

The woman chuckled. "Kuma-san, you are such a child!!"

**Author's Notes again: HAPPY EASTER!! DON'T LET THE BUNNIES BITE!! XD**


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